[toforumer]

Toronto pulled out of the running for Expo 2015 Bid.

The Globe is reporting that Toronto should bid for 2015 Pan American Games.

Smaller in scale, cheaper to fund, yet also provides lasting legacies in terms of new sporting infrastructure. I think we should go for it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070711.OLY11/TPStory/Sports

Louroz

A Pan Am Games? Does anyone watch that shit anymore? Just wait out 2016 if the city doesn't believe they should bid for it. Lobby against Chicago and hope that Tokyo wins and submit a bid for 2020. The USA are also really interested in the 2018 Winter Olympics if they lose the 2016 Summer Olympics and rumours have it Denver wants them. I think they might get the 2018 WOG as a consolation prize.

 

[EnviroTO]

But isn't that what they're building right now on the Portlands and Donlands?

No. The bulk of all waterfront lands is planned to have condos. The West Don Lands is the least dense of the three areas with 6 stacked townhouse buildings that are 4 storeys, 12 buildings 5 storeys, 19 buildings 6-8 storeys, 7 buildings 10 storeys, 5 buildings 14 storeys, and 3 buildings 24 storeys (only 1/3rd in the 4-5 storey range). The East Bayfront will have 4-6 floors on the water's edge, 12 floors over most of the site, and have 3 buildings 16 storeys, 4 buildings 18 storeys, and four point towers at about 37 storeys. The Portlands would have a built form similar to the East Bayfront but the plans aren't that far along yet. So the lowest density we should see will be similar to what is seen in Liberty village (only 6 stacked townhouses) and that would be along side streets in the West Don Lands but everything else would be condos and lofts.

I think 2032 will line up to be the year Toronto has a good chance. If they have the 2016 or 2020 summer in the US, 2022 or 2026 winter in the US, then Canada won't need to worry about the US on an olympic bid in 2032.

 

[Erik T]

Do we really need to flush tens of millions of dollars down the toilet that is the I.O.C.? Which cities besides L.A. (which already had extensive sports facilities) have made money from the summer Olympics?
Are we to build piles of stadiums/ stadia that will slowly rot away? I have yet to see any convincing evidence that the Olympics bring some lasting boom to cities... the Jazz Festival did more for Montreal tourism than the Olympics did.

I am still irked by the demolitions of Exhibition Stadium and Varsity Stadium, which were replaced by... new stadiums! What are we, Americans? What's next, shall we build something twice as big as the Skydome, and turn Fort York and Harbourfront into enormous parking lots?

 

[EnviroTO]

Well no money is flushed down the drain to the IOC. The IOC pays the winning bid committee something like $1B. All the money spent on the Olympics is spent in the city on things that create infrastructure which if intelligently built add value for the long term, create jobs, and increase exposure of the city with long term benefits in business and tourism. The ACC and BMO Field were relatively cheap to construct and I don't see any reason a replacement to SkyDome will be built any time soon... definitely not for the Olympics.

 

[lobbby]

does anyone remember what the "plan" was for after the games for the proposed olympic stadium at the docks that the Toronto 2008 bid planned?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

What rot-potential sport venues would we need to build other than one Olympic Stadium (that could probably be scaled back in terms of total seats later on), a velodrome, and an aquatics facility?

 

[toforumer]

does anyone remember what the "plan" was for after the games for the proposed olympic stadium at the docks that the Toronto 2008 bid planned?

Toronto NFL Franchise. They would actually have a stadium built and suited for it.

 

[afransen]

"The Globe is reporting that Toronto should bid for 2015 Pan American Games.

Smaller in scale, cheaper to fund, yet also provides lasting legacies in terms of new sporting infrastructure. I think we should go for it."

I'm not sure I agree. Everyone who says sporting event X is cheaper to host than the Olympics doesn't also look at the revenue side of things, but only the investment/expenditure required. If we were to host the PanAm games, and contruct venues to Olympic specifications, we'd be spending on venues what we would for the Olympics, but foregoing almost all the corporate sponsorship and TV broadcasting right revenues... amounts that approach $2 billion. If the host city is sensible, they in essence get their venues for free. Toronto's venue plan for 2008 called for $750 million in venue construction costs. Let's say they were too conservative and it would cost 50% more than that. Then after the IOC's transfer to the organizing committee, we would be $250 million - $750 million ahead. The operating costs are largely covered by ticket sales and merchandising, with security costs traditionally borne by the national government. Infrastructure investments (transit, beautification, etc.) shouldn't really be attributed to the Olympics as a cost, or at least not as a negative.

Now, with PanAm, we receive corporate sponsorship and TV rights approaching nil, and still need to construct at least $500 million in venues. Same goes with Commonwealth Games...

Even then, the marginal tax revenues generated by hosting the Olympics and the massive injection of foreign funds (tourism; 50,000+ international visitors; sponsorship and merchandising) more than makes up for government outlays necessary for hosting. If the host city is sensible and already has strong infrastructure (such as Toronto has), could host an Olympics that would be an unqualified economic boon to the city. I would argue that London and Beijing threw sense out the window, and for their own reasons--I don't think the same thing would happen here. Particularly, the Canadian government isn't aching to be seen as lavishing funds on this city. Only enough to ensure Canada as a nation is not embarassed.

 

[toforumer]

"The Globe is reporting that Toronto should bid for 2015 Pan American Games.

Smaller in scale, cheaper to fund, yet also provides lasting legacies in terms of new sporting infrastructure. I think we should go for it."

I'm not sure I agree. Everyone who says sporting event X is cheaper to host than the Olympics doesn't also look at the revenue side of things, but only the investment/expenditure required. If we were to host the PanAm games, and contruct venues to Olympic specifications, we'd be spending on venues what we would for the Olympics, but foregoing almost all the corporate sponsorship and TV broadcasting right revenues... amounts that approach $2 billion. If the host city is sensible, they in essence get their venues for free. Toronto's venue plan for 2008 called for $750 million in venue construction costs. Let's say they were too conservative and it would cost 50% more than that. Then after the IOC's transfer to the organizing committee, we would be $250 million - $750 million ahead. The operating costs are largely covered by ticket sales and merchandising, with security costs traditionally borne by the national government. Infrastructure investments (transit, beautification, etc.) shouldn't really be attributed to the Olympics as a cost, or at least not as a negative.

Now, with PanAm, we receive corporate sponsorship and TV rights approaching nil, and still need to construct at least $500 million in venues. Same goes with Commonwealth Games...

Even then, the marginal tax revenues generated by hosting the Olympics and the massive injection of foreign funds (tourism; 50,000+ international visitors; sponsorship and merchandising) more than makes up for government outlays necessary for hosting. If the host city is sensible and already has strong infrastructure (such as Toronto has), could host an Olympics that would be an unqualified economic boon to the city. I would argue that London and Beijing threw sense out the window, and for their own reasons--I don't think the same thing would happen here. Particularly, the Canadian government isn't aching to be seen as lavishing funds on this city. Only enough to ensure Canada as a nation is not embarassed.

You have brought up very going points. I agree with what you've said here. People just assume the Olympics is a money pit. Toronto won't turn out like another Montreal Olympics. Lessons are always learned.

 

[adma]

Pan Am Games? Is that something like skyscraper helicopter parkour?

 

[MajorComplainer]

Great! Now the waterfront development peeps will have another excuse, "What's the rush? We still have until 2020 to revitalize it. It's only 13 years to go. Can't you just wait?"

 

[theman23]

Great! Now the waterfront development peeps will have another excuse, "What's the rush? We still have until 2020 to revitalize it. It's only 13 years to go. Can't you just wait?"

I'm fairly certain that even without an Olympics we will have to wait until 2020 (or later) to get a completely revitalized water front.

 

[FutureMayor]

Third time could be lucky for Toronto bid

http://www.thestar.com/article/234917

Jul 12, 2007 04:30 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toronto should seek 3rd Games bid,

COC chief hints

July 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was almost exactly six years ago this week that I was standing on Front St. waiting with thousands of supporters to hear if we had won the bid for the 2008 Olympics. For that one shining moment there was this enormous sense of pride as the eyes of the world were on our city.

While Toronto didn't win in 2008, we are still bearing the fruits of that bid. The Waterfront Corporation was established to prepare the city for the coming Olympics and today work has begun. Let us strive to continue to build our great city and prepare to share it with the athletes and international visitors in 2020. It will be Toronto's coming-out party to the world.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Louroz Mercader, Mississauga

 

[lobbby]

http://www.thestar.com/article/234917

While Toronto didn't win in 2008, we are still bearing the fruits of that bid. The Waterfront Corporation was established to prepare the city for the coming Olympics and today work has begun. Let us strive to continue to build our great city and prepare to share it with the athletes and international visitors in 2020. It will be Toronto's coming-out party to the world.

It's discouraging that someone is printing such blatant lies...6 years after the bidding process and we remain in neutral...we should be striving to build our city regardless of whether the international community is watching

 

[ShonTron]

Watch it - those "blatant lies" aren't. The TWRC was the result of the "Three Amigos" meetings prior to the Olympic bid results to make Toronto's bid look more serious. While things are slower than they should be, we've been making progress. I suggest that you check out several of the new parks that opened on the waterfront since then.