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July 2, 2003 8:50 AM   Subscribe

Vancouver gets the games. 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, BC. Maybe now we can get a Mefi meetup.
posted by timeistight (36 comments total)
 
Congrats, Vangroovy-ites; it's a wonderful decision and y'all deserve it.

Now just don't cock it up with stupidity and greed like we did in Montreal.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 8:57 AM on July 2, 2003


Let the profiteering begin... [/cynicism]
posted by jokeefe at 9:00 AM on July 2, 2003


Better get some MeFi umbrellas made up so you can recognize each other - for those of you unfamiliar with Canadian weather, winter in Vancouver means rain. Ironically, it's The city with fewest days below freezing ... with an average of 51 days per year with freezing temperatures. Of course, Whistler is a different story!
posted by stonerose at 9:00 AM on July 2, 2003


vancouver's 2010 win effectively kiboshes toronto's 2012 summer olympics plans. as a former torontonian, this is good, although tieing infrastructure upgrades such as a cleaned up waterfront and a buried gardiner highway to a successful olympic bid would have been sweet.

my only beef is the fact that both vancouver and calgary will now have olympic grade facilities, which ties up a bit of money to possibly underused places (calgary's olympic park is mostly used for canadian training rather than sporting events - can't find any links supporting this right now though).

but hey. vancouver is hip and happening.
posted by myopicman at 9:10 AM on July 2, 2003


With the Olympics, I wonder if Vancouver will be presured more from other nations to enforce their marijuana laws.
posted by four panels at 9:11 AM on July 2, 2003


myopicman, one would think this also puts paid to the NYC2012 bid--one more thing for which we can "blame Canada"! And, oh yeah, Happy 136, you don't look a day over 69!
posted by billsaysthis at 9:17 AM on July 2, 2003


As a native British Columbian, and a current Torontonian, I was torn between wanting the 2008 games here, and wanting the 2010 games there (knowing both games would not go to the same country). I shed a tear or two when Toronto lost the 2008 bid, but am more than pleased that Vancouver has come out of this with the 2010 games. Summer games, can be held in pretty much any city North of Antartica that is willing to build a stadium or two. Winter games, on the other hand, demand a much more specific climate and environment, and I've long thought Vancouver-Whistler was an ideal location.

While waiting for the webcast of the announcement this morning, I read this fascinating document (PDF) that went into detail about the decision model used to determine whether cities should even be considered as candidates. It underscores the amount of work that goes into a bid upfront, successful or unsuccessful.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:21 AM on July 2, 2003


CNN sure doesn't seem interested. They have this story higher on their sidebar: "Giant sea creature baffles Chilean scientists."
posted by Yogurt at 9:25 AM on July 2, 2003


I'm excited. Whistler in the day, Vancouver at night. I've been to neither place, but from what I understand, both places are wonderful. Whistler has a one-mile drop! I've never been to an Olympics, but I want to go to this one.

Vancouver ain't Salt Lake City, if you know what I mean.
posted by Holden at 9:29 AM on July 2, 2003


According to the SI.com piece (which is the first I've seen that's published actual numbers), we won on the second ballot by only three votes. Ridiculously close to a major upset.

Sometimes I wish the IOC would stop trying to win a Nobel Peace Prize. The Olympics sure as hell wouldn't have united Korea, and they won't do a whole lot of good for Beijing. But I'm just a bitter Torontonian. :)

Still, good job, west coast kiddies.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:35 AM on July 2, 2003


The only downside: isn't getting around Vancouver pretty hellish just in the normal course of things? I was there during a transit strike, maybe that made it worse, but I remember a whole lot of sitting in traffic to get anywhere beyond walking distance. I can just imagine what a nightmare it'll be with the city full of Olympic spectators.

Still, this is the first time I've ever heard an Olympic location and actually thought of going.
posted by COBRA! at 9:36 AM on July 2, 2003


Holden, just be careful on the drive in between, which is notorious for its accident rate. Even with the planned upgrades, it's still going to be a difficult road.

I hope lots of people in the local arts community get jobs, but otherwise I have mixed feelings about it all. Except for figure skating. I love to watch that there figure skating.
posted by jokeefe at 9:36 AM on July 2, 2003


Meh. [shrug]

My primary beef with us having the Olympics is that it means pouring a bijillion dollars into infrastructure that supports only the wealthy. We're going to have to replace a highway that's currently one of the most dangerous in the province (and one of the best motorcycle rides, damn!). And at the same time, we're having to make serious, harmful cutbacks to healthcare, schools, and poverty programs.

Frankly, I'd rather have happy, healthy seniors, well-educated kids, and work-program support than more asphalt.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:37 AM on July 2, 2003


Oh, and if all goes according to plan and my son eventually moves out and becomes self-supporting, I will have a guest room, which I can make available at properly exploitative rates just for my friends on mefi... heh. *starts calculating what the market will bear*
posted by jokeefe at 9:39 AM on July 2, 2003


bill: if NBC wants NYC in 2012, they'll apply the appropriate pressure enough. i bet europe will end up with those games, though.

the NYC2012 bid always struck me as overkill. then again, as a brooklynite, thoughts of even more tourist insanity and the possibility of raised rents puts fear into my soul. then again, everything here is world class and the prospect of more subway lines and a cleaned up queens riverfront makes it shine more. but considering what help this city needs first, which is employment, the olympics won't help in the short term.
posted by myopicman at 9:47 AM on July 2, 2003


Winter Olympics in the Rockies. How unique
posted by stbalbach at 9:52 AM on July 2, 2003


Seriously, what is it with Vancouver? It can't be as cool as I've been lead to believe. One of my favorite singers lives there. One of my favorite authors lives there. He even wrote a book about it. My friend loves the town so much he went there to get married. (we live in ohio!).

Is it something in the water?
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:54 AM on July 2, 2003


Bah. All I hear are the pigs running to the trough.
posted by btwillig at 10:06 AM on July 2, 2003


And stbalbach demonstrates that deep knowledge of geography that Americans are so famous for.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:08 AM on July 2, 2003


My god! Think of the home-ice Curling advantage!

It makes my blood run cold!
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:13 AM on July 2, 2003


My god! Think of the home-ice Curling advantage!

All those curling fans screaming in the stands with their rally rags flying. Yep, you know the type.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:18 AM on July 2, 2003


I like the fact that we're getting the Olympics, but I have to agree the money could be spent elsewhere on social services, which are getting cut back heavily.

And timeistight - are your fingers broken? Call for a MeFiVan in MeTa, babe!
posted by Salmonberry at 10:26 AM on July 2, 2003


As a sometime Vancouverite: good show!

Traffic is going to be murder. Maybe they can find a real use for the skytrain. As long as it doesn't snow the public transport (electric buses) should be ok.
posted by bonehead at 10:31 AM on July 2, 2003


I wish I lived in Vancouver. Not because of the olympics...I just want to move to British Columbia.
posted by dejah420 at 10:33 AM on July 2, 2003


Call for a MeFiVan in MeTa, babe!

You know Salmonberry, that's so crazy it just might work.
posted by timeistight at 10:38 AM on July 2, 2003


Congratulations!

I worked the 2002 games with CBC... what a blast!

Word at that time was that the IOC was looking at some form of rotation for future winter games, as appropriate sites were quickly becoming scarce... it would be nice to have the games again in 2042.

*sighs wistfully*

As for transportation, the Oly shuttles they used here worked perfectly (aside from the first day)... so I wouldn't be surprised if they just didn't require shuttle use to reach the venues.
posted by silusGROK at 10:40 AM on July 2, 2003


Congrats to Vancouver! On my only visit there my rental car was broken into and my camera was stolen but I still left feeling like I had a great time. Very cool place.
posted by schmedeman at 12:29 PM on July 2, 2003


Er… I'd meant to link to MetaTalk up there. Got my copied shortcuts crossed.
posted by timeistight at 1:45 PM on July 2, 2003


You're not the only one, timer. I'm still trying to figure out which thread this belongs to...
posted by wendell at 2:21 PM on July 2, 2003


yay! now my wife and i will never be able to afford housing!!!
posted by eurasian at 3:24 PM on July 2, 2003


congrats vancouver! i was there last month again and i am trying to figure out how to move there.
posted by birdherder at 3:25 PM on July 2, 2003


Aw, man. I have to cancel my trip to Smiggin Holes now.
posted by jammer at 4:20 PM on July 2, 2003


jokeefe - dibs on your guest room the nights of the ladies figure skating event. ;)
posted by NorthernLite at 4:31 PM on July 2, 2003


jokeefe - dibs on your guest room the nights of the ladies figure skating event. ;)

*takes note, ponders whether payment should be in cash or simple gold bullion*
posted by jokeefe at 5:37 PM on July 2, 2003


jacquilynne -- that's right .. any mountain west of New Jersey is the "rockies" and I'm sticking to it.
posted by stbalbach at 7:28 PM on July 2, 2003


The only thing I look forward too are the funny signs at the strip clubs. I expect to see "4 Women Boobsled Team" on a marquee very soon.
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 9:16 PM on July 2, 2003


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