Are the Olympics a waste of time and money?

[The_Falcon]

While watching Brekfast Television on CityTV, host Kevin Frankish brough this subject up as a side converstation with a member of the production crew.  His feeling was that the Olympics have lost all meaning/relevance and that it is not worth the time and money to invest in hosting/watching/competing in the Olympics.  I was wondering what people around here thought.  Personally I agree with Frankish.

 

[I_am_John_Galt]

Oh, but the IOC officials are so selfless and generous: it's sad how they have endure jet-setting lifestyles and 6-figure salaries on top of innumerable kickbacks and freebies (at the expense of the taxpayers of the host cities) when the athletes get to enjoy Kraft Dinner living ... 

Olympic building costs soar 40% over budget

By PETER KENNEDY

Friday, July 1, 2005

VANCOUVER -- Organizers of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver-Whistler are grappling with a building boom that has sent construction costs in the Lower Mainland through the roof, forcing them to look at ways to offset the impact by finding new sources of revenue.

"The cost of construction has gone up by 40 per cent since we presented our bid to host the Olympics in 2002," said Renée Smith-Valade, a spokeswoman for the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC).

At the time of the bid, the committee expected to break even with infrastructure costs forecast at $1.3-billion.  ...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050701/OLYMPICS01/TPNational/TopStories

 

[old medic]

The 1.3 billion infrastructure cost posted here in 2005 now seems tiny compared to recent dollar figures.

Vancouver Olympics suffer first sponsor bankruptcy
By BOB MACKIN
14th January 2009
http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/othersports/2009/01/14/8021141.html

Things just got worse for VANOC.

Nortel Networks became the first sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics to seek bankruptcy protection on Wednesday. The Toronto-based company's United States subsidiary filed under Chapter 11 in Wilmington, Del. and was to make a similar request to an Ontario court under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act. Trading of Nortel shares was halted on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Nortel racked up a US$6.3 billion debt through Sept. 30 and has nearly US$12 billion in liabilities. It became an official VANOC supplier of network communications equipment on May 1, 2007. The deal was worth between $3 million and $15 million.

Olympics-Scramble on to save 2010 Games village
Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:49am GMT
By Allan Dowd
http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKN1360453720090114

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Organizers of the 2010 Olympics remain confident the Vancouver athletes village will be completed on time despite the project's money woes, the group's executive director said on Tuesday.

Provincial officials are waiting for a request from the city of Vancouver for help refinancing the C$1 billion ($820 million) housing project, which saw its private funding dry up as the Canadian city's real estate market slowed.

Standard & Poors warned on Tuesday the financing problems could hurt the city's credit rating if it is forced to borrow extensively to ensure the village is ready when the Games begin in February 2010.

Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) Chief Executive John Furlong acknowledged his group was hearing concerns about the issue, although it is not directly responsible for funding the project that will house 2,800 athletes and officials.

"This is one that nobody is obviously happy about, but I think there is a belief that we have the focus and the attitude and determination to get this where we need to be," Furlong said.

"Clearly at the end of the day we have to have an Olympic village. We know that. The city knows that," he said.

The facility was originally to be funded by a private developer, Millennium Development, which planned to sell many of the housing units as high-priced waterfront condominiums after the Olympics.  Continued...

January 13, 2009
Vancouver's Olympic Village scandal grows -- and grows
by Ron Judd
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/olympics/2009/01/13/vancouvers_athletes_village_sc.html

WHISTLER, B.C. -- Wet snow, lots of it, is piled up all around Whistler. Doubt and angst, even more of it, are piled up all over the City of Vancouver.

In what should be a joyous phase leading up to next month's one-year-out celebration for the February, 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver residents are snarling. Anti-Olympic protesters, with told-you-so glee, are coming out of the woodwork. And even Olympic loyalists are looking a bit sheepish..........
Continues at link

$65-million reno to 'add more life' to aging B.C. Place stadium
Frank Luba, The Province
Published: Friday, September 05, 2008
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=53bd0ae7-442a-41de-b70c-95d7ef689a3c

The first $65-million phase of renovations to B.C. Place Stadium began this week.

The 25-year-old building will see upgrades to concessions, bathrooms and suites. It will get a new coat of paint and have the lighting changed, and will have improved accessibility and directional signage...................
Continues on link

B.C. Place renos for Olympics to cost $365M
By BOB MACKIN, SUN MEDIA
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2009/01/09/7972476.html

The price to renovate and re-roof B.C. Place Stadium will be more than a third of a billion dollars.

The British Columbia government, through public relations agency Pace Group, announced in a Friday morning news release that it approved a $365 million budget, including contingencies, for rejuvenating the stadium that was opened in 1983 for $126 million.
............
Podmore's other task with Pavco was to cap skyrocketing costs at the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion project. The $883.2 million, 2010 Games' international broadcasting centre is opening in April. It was originally planned for $495 million and a July 2008 opening.

 

[dapaterson]

"An Olympics can no more have a deficit than a man can have a baby." - Jean Drapeau

 

[StirlingDyer]

Is one of the two "I don't care either way, Canada never wins anyways" options supposed to be different?  I'd like to put in my support for the Olympics.

 

[old medic]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090118/olympic_loan_090118/20090118?hub=TopStories

Vancouver gets Olympic-sized loan approval

Updated Sun. Jan. 18 2009 1:48 PM ET

The Canadian Press

VICTORIA -- The City of Vancouver has official approval to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure the city's $1-billion waterfront athletes village project for the 2010 Winter Olympics stays afloat.

B.C. politicians voted unanimously today to support legislation that allows Vancouver to borrow more than $450 million without going to a public referendum.

Politicians debated Bill 47 for about 20 hours straight, spending the night with the Opposition New Democrats accusing the government of hiding the true costs of the Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler.

New Democrat Leader Carole James left the legislature after an emergency special sitting that started Saturday at noon saying she supports the project, but she says people are concerned about the government's handling of the Games, especially with a May election approaching.

Premier Gordon Campbell says the government passed legislation that allows almost 2,000 construction workers to keep their jobs in tough times and allows Vancouver to continue building a project that will enhance the city's waterfront for years to come.

He says the Opposition is trying to attack the Games even though every other province in Canada and likely every state in the United States wishes it could host the event.

 

[steveyb4342]

Yeah is there no option to support the olympics? I think the competition is great fun to watch, it helps improve playing facilities for that area, gives young Canadians in sports something to strive for as well as possible role models. Not to mention the tourist attraction and publicity to continue getting younger kids into sports and get out of the house {and off the xbox}. For the record Canada usually does quite well in the olympics, especially the winter olympics.

Steve

 

[aesop081]

  I'd like to put in my support for the Olympics.

Yeah is there no option to support the olympics?

I'm sure that the future of the V2010 games doesnt rest with the results of a poll on army.ca.

 

[Sythen]

I'm sure that the future of the V2010 games doesnt rest with the results of a poll on army.ca.

Then why put a poll in the first place? In fact why have any discussion on this site at all because it doesn't affect anything?

Was your post seriously necessary? Maybe they are curious what the results of the poll would be?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

While watching Breakfast Television on City TV, host Kevin Frankish brough this subject up as a side conversation with a member of the production crew.  His feeling was that the Olympics have lost all meaning/relevance and that it is not worth the time and money to invest in hosting/watching/competing in the Olympics.  I was wondering what people around here thought.  Personally I agree with Frankish.

Yup. Self perpetuating organization that depend on handouts to sustain the operating capital of the beast. It's grown too big with too many employees to shut it down. Identical like the Canadian Cancer Society or the United Way but on a grand, global scale.

 

[aesop081]

Was your post seriously necessary?

Arent you just a bit touchy. Was just pointing out that the poll realy isnt that big a deal. Voting in a poll  on army.ca realy isnt "putting in your support" for the olympics.

Now, was your reply really necessary ?

 

[jollyjacktar]

I don't know which is a fate worse than death.  Having to put up with all the TV/Radio/Print hoopla BS coverage of the Olympics every 2-4 years or the US elections every 2-4 years [include Presidential as well as Congressional] cycles.  Makes me what to take a hammer and kill myself ala Team America suggestion.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Was your post seriously necessary?

Well since this the RADIO CHATTER area of ARMY.CA its the great dumping ground of threads so, anything goes (within reason)

 

[old medic]

Almost all polls are pointless.    I can't answer for the user that started this thread and poll,
but if you don't like the poll, don't vote on it.  I only add the related news items to avoid having to make
yet another thread about an already covered topic.

Website polls seem no better anywhere else. Today's poll at CTV news is:

Barack Obama is being compared to a lot of former U.S. presidents. Which comparison do you think is most apt?
Clinton
Kennedy
Lincoln
Roosevelt

According to CTV news, "a lot" seems to be 4. You can choose only 1 of 4, instead of 1 of 43, making it a loaded question.
If you think the best comparison is Grover Cleveland, don't vote.

 

[Lil_T]

Yeah is there no option to support the olympics? I think the competition is great fun to watch, it helps improve playing facilities for that area, gives young Canadians in sports something to strive for as well as possible role models. Not to mention the tourist attraction and publicity to continue getting younger kids into sports and get out of the house {and off the xbox}. For the record Canada usually does quite well in the olympics, especially the winter olympics.

Steve

I gave up on the Olympics in 2004.  Used to be an avid watcher, but I'm sick of watching mediocre athletes strive for their "personal best".  I don't really think it's the Olympics necessarily that gets kids out playing sports.  Rather a love of the sport they're playing.  After all, the olympics are only aired once every 2 years so I'm sure they'd have been exposed to those sports at some other time as well.

 

[wannabe SF member]

Used to be an avid watcher, but I'm sick of watching mediocre athletes strive for their "personal best". 

How do you mean?
regardless of whether the olympics are a good thing, athletes like Michael Phelps or Hussein Bolt are anything but mediocre.
Furthermore, the performances on most sports have always been getting better for the entire century, I don't see how they could be seen as mediocre.

 

[Lil_T]

was referring to our  abysmal showing at the 04 summer olympics.  Michael Phelps is part fish, I'm sure.

 

[Harley Sailor]

was referring to our abysmal showing at the 04 summer olympics.  Michael Phelps is part fish, I'm sure.

Who are you compairing our great Olympians to that you feel they did not do great?  Look at how many people we have to pick from in our country.  Now compare that to other countries who have more people in one city then we have in our whole country.  Then look at how much money we have to spend on helping our Olympians.

When you compare us to the US or China you are comparing oranges to grapefruits.  Sure they both look alike, but do they preform alike when you put then in your mouth.  I don't knoww about, but the larger ones leave a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Lil_T]

Who are you compairing our great Olympians to that you feel they did not do great?

Can I compare them to the people they lost to?

Look at how many people we have to pick from in our country.   Now compare that to other countries who have more people in one city then we have in our whole country.  Then look at how much money we have to spend on helping our Olympians.

Other countries with comparable populations to ours (or smaller, even) stilll manage to have excellent athletes.  While it's true that the funding our Olympic athletes receive isn't even nearly as much as other countries provide.  China basically raises these athletes from birth to do what they do.  It's their job (which would make them professionals and that's a tangent I"m not going to touch right now).  It's not a matter of how many we have to pick from.  It's a matter of the calibre of the athletes we're picking from.  If our athletes aren't up to par, they shouldn't be competing.  It's embarassing.  Should our athletes get more funding so they can train more?  Sure.  If it will improve their standing.  But to hear over and over, "She/he did their personal best" is aggravating.  If your personal best isn't enough to score a medal, it's not good enough.  They go there to win.  Not for a self-esteem party. 

</rant>

 

[Harley Sailor]

But to hear over and over, "She/he did their personal best" is aggravating.  If your personal best isn't enough to score a medal, it's not good enough.  They go there to win. 

With that way of thinking there should only be three people competing.  Even the third place person needs to beat someone or they only came last. Someone has to come fifth and if they do better once in a while, Great.  You can never improve you personal best if you don't compete in a level at or above your head.  I would much rather hear that our people came fifth in the world, then that we don't have anyone to compete at all.