[AnarchoSocialist]

The idea of an Olympic Games (or Expo or Pan-Am games for that matter) being a useful catalyst for waterfront development, or urban renewal, or transit, is really questionable. As many have allready said in the case of Toronto it would more likely than not, at this point, slow down the progress that is being made on renewing and developing the waterfront.

If you want to redevelop the waterfront and develop a new urban area in Toronto, great, but it can just as easily be done as an exercise unto itself. Just look at most any major European city and chances are there is a large scale urban development project (in many cases on their waterfront in an old industrial area) taking place without any sporting spectacle guiding it.

If you want to host an Olympics and celebrate sports and fill the city with tourists for a month, fine. But whether it will provide a lasting legacy is little more than a roll of the dice. Montreal is a perfect example where Expo 67 was wonderfully successful and has left a positive impression on the city, and the 76 Olympics, little more than a bitter taste in peoples mouthes.

Personally I hope Toronto doesn't bid again for a while until it can bid for games for what they are and be prepared for the likely loses that will be incured and not try to sell it on some nonesense visions of waterfront renewal and underwater subways.

 

[EnviroTO]

but you are on the hook yourself for the 15 billion dollars worth of surface-to-air missiles and 1 to 1000 athlete to commando ratio.

But what a lasting legacy having rebuild Fort York with missiles and howitzers. It is definitely time to upgrade the fort. I don't even think those cannons work any more.

 

[afransen]

The Star ran this editorial today. We've already said as much, except they missed the opportunity we still have to file papers for 2016:

Olympic calculations

Jul 16, 2007 04:30 AM

Toronto's long-standing, and fruitless, quest to host the Summer Olympic Games flickered back to public attention last week when Canadian Olympic Committee executive director Chris Rudge said this municipality is a logical choice for such an event. "We'd certainly like to know if the city is interested."

With Toronto's two previous Olympic bids ending in crushing disappointment, many residents can be forgiven for having reservations about launching yet another try. Indeed, current circumstances do not warrant a full-blown campaign to win the Summer Games.

But it isn't too early to quietly think about when Toronto could make its next move. Everything depends on what happens in 2009.

Next summer, the Olympics are being held in Beijing. And the 2012 Games have already been awarded to London. Still to be decided is the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo are all jostling for that prize. With a decision expected in 2009, and with such strong rivals already in the race, Toronto's best bet would be to seek the 2020 Games.

The Olympics would elevate this city to global notice, and the Games would stimulate waterfront revitalization, expand public transit, enhance Toronto's lamentable supply of top-quality sports venues, and pump billions of dollars into the local economy.

The Games of 2020 may seem far in the future, but any successful Olympic bid requires a long lead-time. And circumstances might just give Toronto a winning edge in hosting the world that year.

The last summer Olympics in North America were held in Atlanta, back in 1996. Some analysts say that timing works to Chicago's advantage because – by 2016 – it would be a full 20 years since the Summer Games took place on this continent.

The Windy City is expected to mount a powerful bid. Some even consider it the front-runner.

If the 2016 Olympics do go to Chicago, there would be no point in a Toronto try for 2020. Olympic authorities would hardly consider awarding the very next Games to another Great Lakes city.

But if Chicago were to fail, conditions would be excellent for a Toronto bid. A North American centre would be overdue to host the Games. For now, Toronto must bide its time. But it should prepare to, once again, stoke the fires of an Olympic quest if Chicago's bid is doused.

 

[EnviroTO]

I don't see the 2020 bid though. If Chicago looses the 2016 bid the only way it helps our bid is if no US city runs for 2020 considering Canada will have still hosted an Olympics, albeit a winter one, more recently than the US. I find it hard to imagine that if Chicago did not get 2016 that there would not be an equally good bid from some US city in 2020. I think Vancouver 2010 has killed our bid from being accepted until 8-12 years after the US hosts a summer Olympics.

 

[roch5220]

Someone shoot me.
Another bid isn't even funny any more.
Unless we are willing to play dirty, we are not going to get the big summer games. Canada is forever destined only to be allowed to get the subpar winter games.

 

[adma]

It's Canada, maaaan. The land of ice and snow and American border-crossers wearing parkas in the middle of July. Winter Olympics ain't "subpar" for us...

 

[b13]

I don't see the 2020 bid though. If Chicago looses the 2016 bid the only way it helps our bid is if no US city runs for 2020 considering Canada will have still hosted an Olympics, albeit a winter one, more recently than the US. I find it hard to imagine that if Chicago did not get 2016 that there would not be an equally good bid from some US city in 2020. I think Vancouver 2010 has killed our bid from being accepted until 8-12 years after the US hosts a summer Olympics.

Well I disagree with you because right now Denver is planning on hosting the 2018 Winter Games. And if they win that Toronto could say that it isn't fair America gets to host a Summer games only 2 years after a winter games. Also the American city that would plan on bidding and actually have a chance for the 2020 games would be LA because Chicago alrady said 2016 is now or never. And again I truly think if Toronto went against LA we would win, LA already hosted multiple times! 2020 is our time! T.O 2020

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The 2016 games are Chicago's to lose, but if they do lose them, Toronto has a great chance at 2020...unless a city like Rio or Cape Town launches a solid bid at the same time.

 

[jeicow]

Well I disagree with you because right now Denver is planning on hosting the 2018 Winter Games.

If politics play as big of a role as everyone one this thread says it does, then Denver will never get the Winter Games. They're the only city to ever be awarded the games and then turn it down. That being said, there are so few countries, let alone cities, that could even host the games that they'll eventually get their turn but I see Korea getting 2018 to be completely honest.

 

[lobbby]

If Pyeongchang decides to go for 2018, I don’t think anyone has a chance. They have been snubbed by the slimmest of margins twice now. Unfortunately the ‘third times a charm’ theory does not apply to Toronto.

 

[EnviroTO]

I'm relatively surprised Korea didn't win the winter games this time. Some were saying it has something to do with North Korea but I find it hard to believe when they are locating it in Sochi, right next door to Chechnya and the Middle-East. Without significant change in the volitility of the region I would expect Sochi to be one needing a very high level of military presence.

 

[EnviroTO]

Unfortunately the ‘third times a charm’ theory does not apply to Toronto.

I think nations win Olympics so third time is a charm doesn't necessarily hold true after winning a Winter Games. If Denver were to win a Winter Games that would help Toronto's chances for a summer games to some degree. However I think it will be any time now that we will see credible bids from India, South Africa, and Brazil which, if the IOC believes is financially and organizationally capable to hold the Olympics would have the "China effect" that killed Toronto 2008. I also expect there to be more large cities bidding for future games then there may have been in the past. We have seen NYC, Paris, Tokyo, Madrid and other major cities showing interest. Toronto's 2008 bid was one of the best ever seen for its compactness and waterfront venues and only lost due to the fact China was a huge country which had never held the games and had proven itself capable of doing so. To some degree I think the fact that Russia is a winter nation and yet had never hosted a Winter Games may have given it the edge this time around.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I'd say Chicago has like a 95% chance of winning 2016...which means Toronto has a 95% chance of losing 2020. 2024 could work, though.

 

[lobbby]

I think nations win Olympics so third time is a charm doesn't necessarily hold true after winning a Winter Games. If Denver were to win a Winter Games that would help Toronto's chances for a summer games to some degree. However I think it will be any time now that we will see credible bids from India, South Africa, and Brazil which, if the IOC believes is financially and organizationally capable to hold the Olympics would have the "China effect" that killed Toronto 2008. I also expect there to be more large cities bidding for future games then there may have been in the past. We have seen NYC, Paris, Tokyo, Madrid and other major cities showing interest. Toronto's 2008 bid was one of the best ever seen for its compactness and waterfront venues and only lost due to the fact China was a huge country which had never held the games and had proven itself capable of doing so. To some degree I think the fact that Russia is a winter nation and yet had never hosted a Winter Games may have given it the edge this time around.

I think its very odd...and isn't Sochi a summer holiday destination? It has to be one of the furthest south winter olympic cities. I agree, I don't think it was a matter of superior quality that put the Sochi bid over the top. Russia was certainly overdue for hosting.

How would Denver winning the games helps T.O's chances though?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

A Denver games would only happen if Chicago loses...N.A. will not get two summer games in a row but could easily get consecutive summer and winter games - this has happened many times in recent years, especially in Europe. If Chicago loses, N.A. could be seen as overdue for hosting a summer games.

Sochi is north of both Nagano and Squaw Valley...it's right next to the Caucasus mountains.