With Glowing Hearts

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Ticket Update

Well, it's now December 10, 2008 and the tickets that have been allocated to those who applied are supposed to have been processed and billed with email notification coming today.

We have to be honest here and say that we have not yet seen a charge on our Visa, nor has the available balance decreased in relation to a charge that's pending.

We've still got our fingers crossed and we'll have to wait and see.

We'll keep you updated as we learn more.

Additional tickets are scheduled to be made available starting December 12.

MukMuk becomes an official 2010 Mascot

2010 Ticketing Update

Some of the dates for the ticketing process have been updated by VANOC.

The key dates as we see them are:

• December 1 - credit cards charged on or after this date
• December 10 - email notification of ticket allotment
  
• December 12 - additional tickets available for purchase

Read more here.

Massive 2010 Road Closures Expected

Read more here.

Vancouver 2010 Torch Route Announced

It will take 100 days and travel nearly 45,000 kilometers as it criss-crosses across Canada. The relay will start in Victoria, travel through the Queen Charlotte Islands before visiting each and every territory and province of Canada.

Read more here.

Johnson & Johnson Passes on IOC Renewal

The current financial meltdown continues to claim casualties, the most recent is one of the top-level IOC sponsors, Johnson & Johnson.

Read more here.

Ticket Requests Set Records

It's no surprise that Canadians are passionate about winter sport, afterall some folks from other countries aren't even aware that Canada has a summer (as short as it may be in some parts of the country). But the desire for Olympic sport has far surpassed expectations.

In the period from October 3 through November 7 nearly $350M worth of tickets were applied for. 120 of 170 events will have there ticket purchases determined through lottery.

A couple highlights:

• Total value of tickets requested by Canadian residents from October 3 to November 7: $345 million

  • Value of tickets requested on November 7 alone: $135 million

• An estimated 120 of 170 sessions will be allocated by lottery

• The Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as all figure skating, short track speed skating, speed skating and men's ice hockey (from quarter-finals onward) are among the sessions that will go to lottery

• More than 140,000 tickets were requested for the men’s gold medal hockey game

• More than 84,000 tickets were requested for the Opening Ceremony

• More than 27,000 tickets were requested for the men’s halfpipe snowboard session

Read more here.

Last Day to Complete Your 2010 Ticket Application

Today is the last day to complete your ticket application for the 2010 Olympics prior to the lottery period.

There will still be an opportunity for events that have tickets remaining, but all or most of the hot tickets will be gone after this period.

To see all of the posts we have made about tickets click here.

To read entire articles on tickets, what's available, and how the process seems to be going click here.

Happy Ticketing!!!

Athletes village to get $100-million loan

The city of Vancouver is providing up to $100M to the developer of Millennium Water, what the world will know as the Athlete's Village during the 2010 Olympics.

The funds will be a loan to help cover cost overruns and other shortfalls.

Read more here.

BC Proclaims Paralympic School Week

Paralympic School Week, Nov. 3-9, is a new and innovative program that will bring the spirit and the values of the Paralympic Movement to classrooms across Canada. The Vancouver 2010 Education Program aims to unite all 365 school districts across the country in this unique opportunity for K-12 students to learn about the Paralympic Movement which explores the significance of human interdependence, equity and fairness. The week also provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate wide-ranging examples of the achievements and successes of people with disabilities engaged in sport, culture or sustainability.

Read the entire press release here.

Swap for 2010

Not everyone is excited that the world is coming to Vancouver & Whistler in 2010 for the Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games, but there are of course plenty of options.

You can rent your place out for 2010 and book yourself into a hotel somewhere else... maybe a tropical locale OR you can make it easier and explore the exciting world of house swapping.

There are plenty of people interested in swapping there world-wide homes for yours during 2010. This is a great way to get all the comforts of home in a win/win relationship with another exchanger.

You can post your swap listing in our 100% FREE forums here.

2010 Cultural Olympiad

Tomorrow VANOC is set to announce the full line-up for the 2010 cultural olympiad which will run from February 1 through March 21.

Over those 7 weeks many world-class cultural performances will descend on Vancouver & Whistler in addition to the thousands of world-class athletes.

Previously announced performances include Ronnie Burkett's Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy and Montreal Danse's On the Ice of Labrador Feb. 1-8 and March 3-7 respectively at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre.

Read more in our forums where we'll update as news is available.

News Stories & New Listings

There's a lot of 2010 news hitting the wires right now and it's hard to keep track of it all. The Winter2010Rentals is able to put a little more time into finding all of the relevant news stories that you could read and we post them all in our forum.

We also want to let you know that we've had several new listings over the last couple of weeks and more are being added each week. To post your FREE listing or wanted ad visit here.

Vancouver's Turn to Step into the Spotlight

Members of the IOC have just finished up there seventh visit to Vancouver and have confirmed their belief that VANOC is well on there way to hosting a spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2010.

Commenting on the visit, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel said, “With the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase.”

More on Vancouver's turn to step into the spotlight can be found here.

Ticket Deadline :: October 29

No need to worry if you're using the official card of the Olympic games, but if you're not planning to pay by VISA then you'll need to have your request along with your cheque or money order post-marked no later than October 29.

Online applications using VISA have until November 7, 2008 to be completed.

Happy Ticketing.

More info on tickets here.

Richmond Oval Officially Opening December 12-13

On December 12th the Richmond Oval will officially be open...

The Richmond Olympic Oval, home of speed skating for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, will officially open on Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13. An innovative and memorable community celebration will mark the opening and will showcase the Oval's unique design and include opportunities for members of the public to skate on the 400-metre track.

Read more here.

VANOC Creates Long-Term Affordable Housing

The Province of British Columbia and the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympics are partnering together to create 156 long-term affordable housing units.

The plan will see 320 temporary housing units that will be used during the Winter Olympics transformed into 156 permanent affordable housing units in 6 communities across the province: Chetwynd, Chilliwack, Enderby, Saanich, Sechelt and Surrey.

Read more here.

Hospitality Packages Now Available for 2010

VANOC announced yesterday that hospitality packages for the XXI Winter Olympic Games are now available.

The 47 different packages are being offered through the official supplier CoSport, accessible through www.CoSport.com.

Read more here.

Olympic Security Costs will be More Than Double

Estimates for the costs of security for the 2010 Olympic games were originally pegged at a mere $186M. A large sum by any means, but the Public Safety Minister is now claiming that estimate is extremely low and that the real costs will range somewhere North of $400M but less than $1B.

Read more here.

Financial Crisis Continues to Dog Athletes Village

The Global Financial Crisis is still causing a lot of headaches for the developer of the Vancouver Athletes Village and articles continue to pour out about their potential trouble.

At this point most of what we're seeing is largely speculative, but makes sense in the current climate.

We'll continue to follow this and try to post relevant articles here.

30 days left...

It's been nearly a week since you've been able to start working on your application for 2010 tickets and you now have 30 days left to complete your app as of the writing of this post.

Make sure you get the tickets you want and complete your application today.

Don't forget to figure out your accommodation, you can either post a rental offering or place a rental want ad on our FREE forums.

VANOC Expects Sellouts

Despite the current turmoil in the financial markets and world economies teetering on the brink of recession the organizing committee for the the 2010 Vancouver / Whistler Olympic Winter Games is anticipating a complete sellout.

Many tickets will most likely be oversubscribed for which will result in lotteries to fill the applications.

Don't be disappointed, be sure to fill out your request, complete with alternate choices in case your first choice is unavailable.

Read more here.

Vancouver's Olympic Village in Trouble?

Amid the current global financial credit crisis rumours are starting to swirl that the Vancouver Athletes Village being constructed by Millennium Development Corp. on the shores of South East False Creek could be in serious financial trouble.

Fortress Investment Group, a large private-equity establishment out of New York who provided much of the funds has apparently been monitoring the project and their reported cost overruns very closely.

The City of Vancouver also recently held an emergency review of the project since they are apparently on the hook to completely the $1B project should the current financing methods be recalled.

Read more on these major rumours here.

Whistler's Peak 2 Peak Launch December 12

It won't be long now until Whistler launches Peak 2 Peak, a massive gondola travelling from the Peak of Whistler Mountain 2 the Peak of Blackcomb Mountain.

The gondola will have the greatest length of freespan cable in the world! The journey will take nearly 12 minutes to cross the valley nearly 450m below. Take a "peak" at the video below...



Read more about the Peak2Peak Gondola here.

Time to Start Building Your Ticket Request Package

The time has come for you to start building your ticket request package. It's hard to beleive, but it's true.

So unless you're planning to donate $285,000 + GST to VANOC you will need to visit this page to start crafting your personal Olympic Experience Package. Prices range from the low $100 range to well over $1000.

The Games are just around the corner!!! For your accommodation needs check out our FREE forums.

The Vancouver 2010 Club - A Patron's Program

Want to gaurantee that you get some great tickets? Well, you can, if you act fast. To acquire 100 prime tickets, a car and driver, concierge service, and even a spot in the Olympic Torch Relay it'll only cost you $285,000 + GST and up.

This program, much like some offered at other Olympic Games, will bring in VANOC $28.5M.

Read more about this amazing 'club' here.

VANOC Snaps Up Ad Space

You were going to have a hard time missing the fact that the Olympics were going on in Vancouver in 2010 with all the buzz that's expected buy now VANOC has ensured there's no possible way that you could miss it.

Everything from billboards to mall posters to baggage carousels at YVR, to every possible inch of space on TransLink's fleet will carry the corporate 2010 Olympic message.

The achieve all this guaranteed ad space VANOC had to pay full-rate on all of it with adjustment for inflation.

Read more here.

2010 StreetCar Images

At the end of July we first told you about the StreetCar that is planned for Vancouver in time for 2010 in another post.

Today we have pictures of the new StreetCar which can be viewed here.

The cars in question are manufactured by Bombardier though, an official supplier of Vancouver 2010 in charge of designing, engineering, and manufacturing the relay torch.

Also, of note is that the StreetCar trial will be quite short to begin with as the cars will simply be on loan from the Brussels Transportation Company.

The Way to 2010

Translink has put up a new section to their website titled "The Way to 2010".

The pages include an interactive map showing venues, the sporting events they will hold, and bus options to get there.

Read more here or visit the Translink page directly.

Official Supplier :: Port Metro Vancouver

The Port of Vancouver, or how they now appear to be named, Port Metro Vancouver has signed on as an official supplier with the deal being valued between $3 & 15M.

Read more here.

Olympic Tickets to Include Transit

Vancouver is a great city, but traffic has never been it's forte. VANOC is planning for this, and the fact that many of the attendees of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics will be from out of town and therefore without vehicles. Transit will be included in all tickets. Whether purchasers of the tickets use that public transit is another question, but in some cases they'll have no choice.

The average transit cost will be approx. $10. Most transit costs will range from $4-18 of the ticket price.

Those watching sport at Cypress will have to purchase a ticket on the Olympic bus network for $12 round trip.

Whistler spectators travelling from Vancouver will be paying $25 round trip.

Read more here.

Olympic Ticketing Guide

In less than one week tickets to the 2010 Olympic Games can be applied for from the organizers of the Vancouver/Whistler games.

Today the organizing committee, VANOC, has released a comprehensive ticketing guide that helps show how truly affordable much of the games will be. Of course hot-tickets will demand a premium not only now, but certainly in resales (if they're permitted!).

Some 400,000 tickets will be priced at only $25 and over half of all available tickets will be priced less than $100 each.

For a comprehensive article on the ticketing guide please read here.

Stay tuned for more info as the week goes on!

With Glowing Hearts

The organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games have officially unveiled the motto of the games as "With Glowing Hearts".

The world will be welcomed to Vancouver & Whistler with this motto that sums up the hearts of Canadians. The motto comes straight from our National anthem "With Glowing Hearts... we see thee rise, the true, North, strong and free..."

Read more about the choosing of this phrase that you'll be hearing a lot of over the next couple years here.

Official Supplier :: Deloitte

Deloitte has been named by VANOC as their official supplier of professional services.

Visit their website here.

Sea to Sky Youth Participation Plan

If you value team, trust, excellence, sustainability and creativity then you uphold what VANOC values and they'd like you to join with them as a volunteer.

They've just launched an initiative focused on volunteer groups of 15-19 year olds, 10+, and an adult chaperon for each group from the Sea to Sky corridor to involve people in exciting Olympic opportunities as we approach 2010.

Read more here.

Olympic Legacies Lost on Squamish

Back when the Vancouver 2010 Bid Committee was putting together their plans for what the 2010 Winter Olympics would look like Squamish, the city situated virtually half-way between Vancouver and Whistler, was front and centre.

Squamish was planned to be the potential hub for media, a transportation hub between Vancouver & Whistler, potential site of the Paralympic sport of Ice Sledge Hockey, and more.

But that all changed once VANOC took over from the Bid Committee. Virtually everything that was said to be planned has either been changed, relocated, or cancelled entirely leaving Squamish virtually in the dark. The "heart of 2010" as they once billed themselves is certainly not beating for the Olympics.

Read more here.

VSO Records National Anthems

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has brought together the entire 78-piece orchestra to record some 200 National anthems over the course of three days for the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.

Here are two samples: Canada & Algeria.

Visit our FREE forums for more info.

Spirit Train Encounters Protests

If there's one thing we learned from the Beijing 2008 Olympics its that the Olympic Movement can attract protests. Canada will be no exception to this rule, although should see less emotional fervor than China did.

The Countdown Clock outside the Vancouver Art Gallery has seen at least 3 unscheduled 'paintings' and of course there have been other signs of protest as well.

On Sunday, the inaugural day for the CP Spirit Train protesters were out from the First Nations. Apparently members of the FN plan to protest at each stop of the train across the country.

Read more about the first Maple Ridge protests here.

Canadian Pacific Olympic Spirit Train

We first told you about the Canadian Pacific Railway Spirit Train back on May 11, 2008 and it was hard to believe it would come so soon. But here we are and the Spirit Train launches on Sunday.

Canadian Pacific has set up a website with tons of information on the Spirit Train, including it's route, dates of locations, info on athletes, photographs, and more. Visit the website here.

More Ticket Info from VANOC

VANOC has released more information about the Olympic Experience Packages (OEPs) discussed in this previous post.

For an in-depth article please visit our free forum. (No registration required for viewing)

Some example OEPs:

City packages: (25 in total)
City OEP1: $1,032
Feb. 12, Opening ceremony.
Feb. 13, Women's hockey preliminary.
Feb. 14, Speed skating, 3,000 metre final.
Feb. 14, Vancouver victory ceremony at BC Place Stadium.

City OEP2: $457
Feb. 13, Short-track speed skating, women's 500 metre qualification, women's 3,000 metre relay qualification, men's 1,500 metre qualification/ final.
Feb. 14, Figure skating, pairs short program.
Feb. 15, Women's hockey preliminary.
Feb. 16. Vancouver victory ceremony at BC Place Stadium.

Whistler packages (eight in total)

Whistler OEP 2: $220
Feb. 12, Men's ski jumping.
Feb. 13, Men's alpine skiing, downhill.
Feb. 14, Men's luge singles final.

Mixed (City and Whistler events) packages (17 in total)
Mixed OEP 1: $750
Feb. 12, Opening ceremony.
Feb. 13, Women's freestyle skiing, qualification and final.
Feb. 14, Men's Nordic combined event.
Mixed OEP 2: $850
Feb. 12, Opening Ceremony.
Feb. 13, Biathlon, women's 7.5 k sprint.
Feb. 14, Women's hockey preliminary.

Local packages, eight in total (five city and three Whistler-specific), which package four to six events spread over weekends and evenings.

Local City OEP 1: $1,267
Feb. 12, Opening ceremony.
Feb. 17, Men's preliminary hockey.
Feb. 18, Women's snowboarding, halfpipe qualification/ semifinal/ final.
Feb. 18, Vancouver victory ceremony at BC Place Stadium.
Feb. 20, Women's curling qualification.
Feb. 20, Women's hockey semifinal.

Local City OEP2: $352
Feb. 13, Women's freestyle skiing, moguls qualifications and final.
Feb. 17, Men's hockey preliminary.
Feb. 19, Vancouver victory ceremony at BC Place Stadium.
Feb. 20, Men's curling qualification.
Feb. 24, short-track speed skating, women's 1,000-metre qualification, men's 500-metre qualification and women's 3,000 metre relay final.

Local Whistler OEP 1: $335
Feb. 13, Men's ski jumping, normal hill individual final.
Feb. 17, Men's luge doubles, runs 1 and 2 final.
Feb. 20, Cross-country skiing, men's 15 + 15 k pursuit.
Feb. 21, Alpine skiing, men's giant slalom, qualification/ final.
Feb. 26, Biathlon, men's 4 x 7.5 k relay.
Feb. 27, Bobsleigh, men's four-man runs 1 and 4 final.

Visit here for more examples.

The 2010 Creative Process

Here's a neat video about the 2010 graphic identity creative process.

Click here to enjoy it.

New 2010 Website Officially Up and Running

As referenced yesterday in this post the Vancouver 2010 website has officially been re-launched. Check it out here.

Massive Public Art Initiative for Vancouver

The largest ever public art initiative in the city will be gracing Vancouver in time for the 2010 Olympics. More than $5M will be spent and International design contests held to have fantastic art pieces designed and placed throughout the city.

Several high-profile art sites will see pieces including too of the highest prices paid going for the entrance to Stanley Park and another in front of the Public Library fronting Georgia Street. Their costs will be $800K and $900K respectively.

All of the art sites will be permanent and other improvements as a part of our cultural legacy will include lighting improvements in communities that will see significant foot traffic during the games.

Read more on our FREE forums here.

Positive Construction Venue Report

VANOC has received a positive venue construction report and management is ready for the spotlight of the 2010 games and all the pressures that entails.

For a complete release on the board meeting please visit the press release.

New Ticket Info

Today marks the start of an intensive information campaign by the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) to inform people about their Olympic Ticket options for Vancouver 2010. Starting October 3, 2008 expectant spectators can submit applications for tickets to the games.

The best value and easiest way to get tickets for this sought after winter spectacle will be by purchasing Olympic Experience Packages (OEP). OEPs will range in price from $140 to $1267 CDN and include a minimum of 3-sessions over 3 to 6 days. There will be more than 50 different OEP options. The OEP packages will offer spectators an easy way to build a customized package for their very own multi-day, multi-sport Winter Olympics Experience.

More information will be available tomorrow. In the meantime, check out the full VANOC press release here.

Re-Launch of Vancouver2010.com

Today marks the re-launch of the Vancouver2010.com website.

In conjunction with a strong public relations campaign aimed at educating the public about ticket purchasing for the games VANOC is re-launching it's website.

Check it out here.

NOTE: As of 10AM PST it has not yet been updated. Looks like they're behind schedule.

Check out our FREE Rental Forum in the meantime and list your haves or wants.

UPDATE: The press release is now out although I'm not yet seeing much change in the site other than the countdown photo being updated.

UPDATE2: As of 10:30PM the existing Vancouver 2010 website has been taken down with a temporary placeholder put up instead. Stay tuned for more details...

UPDATE3: As of 6AM on Sept 18, 2008 the new site has been uploaded. Looks great. Check it out here.

Look of the City Going Before Council

Vancouver city councilors had the opportunity last night to review and vote on an initial $650,000 plan that would see the purchase and installation of thousands of Olympic banners around the city.

Locations would include all three False Creek bridges, 12th Avenue, Cambie, Robson Street, Georgia, and more.

A further increase in this budget to $1.25M is expected to be voted on in the spring of 2009.

Read more here.

Source: Cirque de Soleil Won't Be Apart of 2010

Although there's been much speculation that Cirque de Soleil, arguably Canada's best export next to Maple Syrup, would play an exciting role in both the Opening & Closing Ceremonies.

Unfortunately a source has laid that rumour to rest for now citing creative control restraints by VANOC and the IOC as the main reason though officially both sides are claiming that scheduling conflicts of committment as the reason.

Read more here.

Skaters hit the ice in Richmond

As completion milestones continue to be set a big one was accomplished last week and a lesser one, although more emotionally significant set yesterday.

The major milestone last week was the installation of the ice at the Richmond Oval. Though the building is still several months away from completion, currently estimated for December 2008, the ice is now in. It won't be long before the finishing touches are complete. Viewing the oval from the exterior it looks almost complete save for some landscaping and construction debris.

The emotional milestone that took place yesterday was the first skating at the rink which was undertaken by none other than several members of the Canadian Olympic Team including medal winners Clara Hughes, a Summer and Winter Olympian, and Jeremy Wetherspoon.

More on the historical skate here.

Photo credit: Canada.com

VANOC Will Deliver Athletes Top Hotel Service

Nejat Sarp, VANOC's vice president of services and villages, wants to bring a "Service One" resort hotel mentality to the Vancouver 2010 Games Athletes Village.

Athletes will only have to call one number for all of their needs, no matter what they are; laundry, wake-up call, food... same number.

Sarp has come from a hotel background and wants to bring that same level of service to the athletes villages. He wants athletes to be able to focus on their task at hand, sport.

Read more about his plans here.

Nightly Medal Ceremonies will Offer Great Value!

VANOC plans to make the nightly medal ceremonies the most affordable part of the 2010 Olympic Games.

More than 10,000 tickets each night will be free of charge and a further 20,000 seats will be priced at only $22.  Allowing everyone that comes to Vancouver to cheer on and support the athletes in their accomplishments.

More from VANOC.

Vancouver 2010 Tickets... best chance with Packages

Officials have revealed that the best opportunity for tickets to be purchased for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games will be through ticket packages or what VANOC is called Olympic Experience Packages.

VANOC will be launching an intensive, three-week PR campaign to educate those desiring tickets of the options upcoming. This campaign will also see a re-launch of VANOC's website.

Olympic Experience packages will included tickets to multiple events over multiple days. Package purchasers will be seated at events prior to purchasers of individual events.

VANOC will begin accepting applications October 3, 2008, secured by none other than your VISA credit card (the official supplier of all Olympic Games). This first round of applications will end on November 7, 2008. All applications received during this period will be treated equally. It will not be first-come, first serve.

VANOC has vowed to make at least 70% of seats at venues available to the general public. Their official plan is currently before the IOC.

The ticket sale process begins in 20 days! Click here for more info from VANOC.

More info from Derrick Penner.

Official Supplier :: Acklands-Grainger

VANOC has announced that Acklands-Grainger is the official supplier of industrial safetey and material handling equipment for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

More from VANOC.

2010 Paralympic Tickets on Sale May 6, 2009

VANOC has announced when the tickets to the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games will go on sale: May 6, 2009. Mark your calendars.

Sports of the Paralympic Winter Games

Paralympic Ticket Prices

Competition Schedule

No Fun City to Party Central

Vancouver is notoriously known as a no-fun city with countless fun events eventually reaching their demise with the loss of sponsorships, the finding of new politicians, etc. 2010 will see all that go to the wayside and Vancouver & Whistler will see the biggest parties they could ever imagine.

People from all over the world will come to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics and since the city is so relatively small the party will be amplified. Vancouver for example has approx. 2M people whereas Beijing has more than 17M, Whistler has merely 10,000. People will be everywhere; coaches, athletes, spectators, celebrities, and IOC delegates.

Vancouver will go from a typically quiet February to a scene straight out of one of its biggest annual parties, the Celebration of Light, on a nightly basis. T-shirts, painted faces, jolly visitors, and more will be everywhere. Business will likely be at a stand-still during the games. Many schools will not hold classes, instead opting for early spring breaks. Vancouver will be partying.

More from the Vancouver Sun.

Next Olympic Stop... Vancouver 2010

535 days from now the world will be in Vancouver and Whistler and those not here will have their televisions tuned to the city and the biggest sport party the region has ever seen.

Vancouver and VANOC will have their work cut out for them as the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics were truly impressive. Human rights protests and terrorist attacts were not the problem many thought they could be, the air was relatively clear (for China), and athletes broke many Olympic and World Records in their quest for gold.

The Beijing Organizing Committee put on the most impressive Opening and Closing Ceremonies ever witnessed, complete with genuine and simulated fireworks, thousands of performers, and many top celebrities both from China and abroad.

On top of that the London Organizing Committee put on the most impressive "taste of the next games" number I have ever seen. Their performance was very hip, creative, and historical all at once. Performances by Leona Lewis, Jimmy Page, David Beckham and the coolest double-decker bus ever seen put the show over the top.

Hopefully Vancouver 2010 will answer the call and not put something too cliche together for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and Vancouver. Some great Canadian acts should be available including Cirque de Soliel, Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado and more.

Photos courtesy of London 2012 Blog.

Chilly Reception from IOC re: VANOCs Ticket Sales Ideas

I don't the the IOC is every really seen as the friendliest body and this is not exception as their alottment of tickets, typically around 30% to every event, is being questioned by VANOC. As a result of the empty seat epidemic visible in nearly every Olympic games the Vancouver Organizing Committee has a novel plan to try to cure the problem... give less tickets to the IOC and sell more to the paying public.

Sounds like a good plan, right? "Wrong!" says the IOC. Not surprisingly they're giving this Vancouver attempt a chilly reception as it could be a slippery slope loosening the death grip they currently hold on the organization of everything Olympic.

David Cobb, VANOC executive vp, revealed the unique idea to the Vancouver Sun last week and it had not yet been discussed with the IOC.

Fortunately the disagreement on the forward thinking plan seems to far to only be with the reduction and relocation of media vs. the IOC on the whole. We'll have to monitor where this goes from here as empty seats have made most recent Olympics a failure, at least on some levels.

Listings Begin...

Now that the 2008 Beijing Olympics have completed the world's attention is shifting to Vancouver 2010 which brings us to the need for alternative accommodation. Vancouver will see many more guests than it's hotels can handle.

If you are looking for a place to rent or have a place that you plan to offer up post it in our FREE forums.

New Entry Court at Canada Place

Expo '86 saw a big infrastructure boom for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland including such notable fixtures as Sky Train, the Alex Fraser Bridge, Science World, and Canada Place which houses the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre.

The expanded Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre (VTCC) will house the media for Vancouver 2010 and service countless conventions leading up to the Olymipcs and well after their departure.

To bridge the existing VTCC, Canada Place Corporation will develop a new Entry Court between the two sections. A dramatic face lift will be performed on the current public plaza housing one of Vancouver's least inspiring fountains and will be replaced allowing for a link between the East and West sections of the VTCC.

The Welcome Centre will be a place where staff and displays will provide information about Canada Place, events at the facilities, and Canada.

Pieces of the existing fountain will be re-used in the lobby of the Convention Centre as a nod the Expo '86 legacy.

Beijing 2008 Comes to a Close

16 days of amazing athletic performances have now come to a close in Beijing. As always, the athletic performances were wrapped up with the Closing Ceremonies held once again in the Bird's Nest stadium for some 90,000 spectators.

More than 43 new world records were set during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. 7 by American Michael Phelps who once again dominated the pool. Some other unique occurrences unfolded as well, including the Tae Kwon Do athlete from Cuba who was not impressed with his disqualification after taking more than the allowed for 1-minute and promptly kicked the referee in the head leaving him with a bloodied lip and most certainly a significant headache. The Swedish wrestler also stunned onlookers when he threw an Olympic hissy fit and threw his bronze medal to the ground in protest of the judging.

The Closing Ceremonies were one last opportunity for China to wow the world. Fireworks, upon fireworks, led the way and of course concluded the show. Star performances from Jimmy Page and David Beckham were somehow mixed into the performance. Lip-syncing again reined supreme, although the lip-syncers could have maybe used a bit more practice for this ancient art. Jacques Rogge of course deemed Beijing 2008 "truly exceptional".

All Olympic ceremonies to follow... Vancouver 2010, London 2012, and Sochi 2014 ...truly are now in a tough spot with a very tough act to follow. Hopefully with creativity they can also put on some great shows because the other cities almost surely won't have the funds or manpower that the People's Republic of China was able to throw at the 2008 Olympics.

Photo Credit: Martin Dougiamas.

VANOC Missing Chinese TV Rights Deal

Last year VANOC secured an unprecedented broadcasting rights payments deal with the IOC. The IOC had told VANOC that they would receive approx. $450M US in television rights payments, but Dave Cobb, VP of Marketing, and John Furlong, VANOC's CEO, negotiated that up to a figure reaching almost $600M CDN.

However, a deal between the IOC and China has just been signed for the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Broadcasting Rights reportedly in the three-figure multi-million dollar region. Prior to this China has been broadcasting under an existing licensing arrangement for a reported $18.5M.

This late rights deal may not benefit Vancouver 2010 though, in terms of contribution to the budget in light of the previously negotiated contract with the IOC. The contract could potentially be renegotiated though or at the very least the payment VANOC has to make to the IOC for the rights of nearly $200M could possibly be reduced or the one-time payment from the IOC of $35M to the $100M VANOC Contingency could possibly be increased.

The IOC negotiates rights broadcasting for 2 Olympic sets at a time. The previous set which included the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics has generated approximately $2.6B in revenue. The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and 2012 London Summer Olympics are expected to fetch close to $4B.

More from the Calgary Harald.

Sullivan to Wheel Again

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan first made headlines when receiving the Olympic flag in Turin in 2006 as he wheeled and waved the banner using a specially made mount attached to his motorized wheel chair. The mayor will get a free wheelin' opportunity again next month, this time on the other side of the Pacific.

The mayor, who was injured in a skiing accident at 19 years of age, is one of 10 Canadians that will be a part of a torch relay in China for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

The mayor will not be the sitting Vancouver mayor in during the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver & Whistler.

VANOCs Cure for Empty Seats

If you've paid any attention to the current games in Beijing or previous games in Turin, Athens, or Sydney, you've no doubt seen an epidemic of empty seats despite supposed "sell outs".

The problem stems largely from the large number of seats given to the IOC and individual NOCs. The number given to them is typically 30% for every event. But, as IOC members are very important they have better things to do than attend early rounds of competition, especially in some of the less popular events. Despite many empty seats inside the venues, people are still unable to acquire tickets.

VANOC wants to cure this empty seat epidemic and is going to use some novel methods to do so. First and foremost they plan to automatically cancel all tickets given to an individual countries NOC if they are found to have sold their tickets to ticket brokers. This is an often practised underhanded revenue practice that will not be tolerated. Barcode technology will allow VANOC to stem this problem.

Secondly, VANOC is pushing hard to minimize the number of tickets IOC members receive, especially in early round competition and to less popular events.

Third, VANOC will be trying to relocate IOC seats at events to less desirable locations to allow the paying customers to purchase the choice seats.

Fourth, VANOC plans to try to limit Press seats, at least in prime locations, as every press table will take up at least 3 paying seats.

Lastlyl, VANOC will be working towards allowing last minute purchase of un-used seats. Not sure how this will work, but it would be great if they could liquidate empty seats, sort of like Tickets Tonight, to those that want to fill them instead of just leaving have the venues empty like in early round Beijing competition.

The ticket sales process starts October 3, 2008.

Premier Unveils Details of 2010 International Media Centre

The world's media will come to Vancouver in 2010 and just like in Beijing there isn't room for every media person in the Ling Long Pagoda. (Peter Mansbridge, of the CBC, has been reporting in Beijing from an exterior stairwell of the Pagoda.) The Vancouver 2010 Media Centre will be an amazing place, but will not house everyone, thus the Province has added another media venue for more of the non-accredited (by the IOC) international media persons that will be in town at Robson Square.

The 2600 meter state-of-the-art facility is designed to be a one-stop-shop of resources for the world’s media community. The 2010 International Media Centre (IMC) will co-ordinate technology, information, transportation and hospitality, as well as access to officials and athletes for members of the press corps. Additionally, the 2010 IMC will also be a broadcast hub for a number of key domestic and international broadcast organizations.

The Robson Square location will be adjacent to the Commerce Centre and a showcase space in the heart of downtown Vancouver, a central location in between the official Media Centre and BC Place Stadium, GM Place, and the Athletes Village.

Source: Government of British Columbia

Crash at My Place for 2010

With some 300,000 visitors expected for Vancouver 2010 and only 75,000 hotel rooms alternative accommodation is required. This necessity is leading many to consider renting out their own places during the Olympics and planning to get themselves out of town for the month of February 2010.

Because of the situation people will have to look for and offer accommodation on alternative websites like Winter2010Rentals.com where they can find out information on venues, areas they might want to rent in, and of course best practices for both renters and landlords.

To post your FREE rental listing or wanted ad visit Forum.Winter2010Rentals.com.

Prices vary greatly depending on location, features, size, etc.. But many places are priced at approximately $500 per bedroom per night. This price/bedroom ratio goes up for both the smallest and largest of available places.

More from The Globe and Mail.

The Look of 2010

Steve Lange's job is to 'brand' the 2010 Olympics. He's studied Athens & Turin and right now he's doing some hands-on research in Beijing.

He's researching not only how the Beijing Olympic Committee has branded their games but what technology and methodologies their using. He's looking at lighting, building wraps, and more.

In addition to Vancouver's plans for fence wrappings and extensive signage the International Olympic Committee insists that the organizing committee buy out or control the space of billboards along major Olympic routes to limit the amount of "ambush" advertising by competitors of Olympic sponsors.

In Vancouver's case, Vanoc has acquired all of the rights to major sources of outdoor advertising, from billboards to bus shelters throughout the area.


More from the Vancouver Sun.

VANOC Updates Continue Virtually Without Hiccups

Despite having several incredibly ambitious aspects to the VANOC plan for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games the planning, preparations, and construction continue on-pace and largely on budget and without any significant hiccups.

The VANOC plans include several ambitious projects. A nearly $1B improvement of the Sea to Sky highway that travels from Vancouver to Whistler should drastically increase the safety of the route and also decrease the travel time during the games from nearly 2 hours to less than 90 minutes. This will be achieved in part by only allowing 'local' traffic, buses, and emergency personnel on the route.

The Athletes Village in Vancouver is probably the most ambitious constructions projects Vancouver has ever seen. Some 20 buildings are being constructed as a part of the sustainable community striving for LEED Gold or Platinum certification. The Village also has the new Canada Line LRT at it's doorstep allowing easy connections between Downtown Vancouver, Richmond Centre, the Vancouver International Airport and everything in between.

The new Vancouver Convention Centre which will house the International Media during the Olympics is probably the most ambitious single building every constructed in Vancouver. Months were spent pile driving in Burrard Inlet during the creation of the new land that the centre would sit on. The sleek design showcases the stunning views of Coal Harbour, Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains. This beautiful building also features a green roof.

In addition to these projects there are many other venues being constructed and of course the Canada Line bringing rapid transit from the Airport to Richmond and Vancouver.

In many ways one could say that the progress that VANOC is making is quite boring. In this case, boring is good.

More from The Globe and Mail.

Beijing 2008 Begins

This blog isn't focused on the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games but I do post the odd interesting Beijing-related item. Today, that item is the start of the Games, 08.08.08.

Approximately 91,000 people gathered in the Chinese National Stadium, affectionately known as the Bird's Nest. The Opening Ceremonies of the XXIX Games started with a single drum beat that grew to 2008, filling the stadium and beyond with the classic beats of a past dynasty.

The questions remain regarding Chinese human rights record and whether or not it will have been a positive move granting the People's Republic of China the world's most altruistic sporting competition. But at least for a few moments the decision was positive when Sarah Brightman and Lui Huan took the stage in Beijing.

More details of the astounding Opening Ceremonies and Athletes Procession from Canada.com.

Venue : GM Place to Not Be GM Place

That's a strange title but hopefully you understood it.

John Furlong, the chief 2010 organizer, announced today in Beijing that GM Place will undergo a quick name-change for the 2010 Olympics in light of IOC policy that states that no venue can bare the name of a corporation.

The name to be finalized, may be Canada Hockey Place, as most of the ice hockey games of the Olympics will be held there.

What do you think they should re-name General Motors Place? I guess they could officially re-name it 'The Garage' for the period required.

US Consulate Secures 2010 Office Space

In anticipation of the surging consular needs of the American deligations, spectators, and non-accredited media persons during Vancouver 2010, the US Consulate has secured a lease at 1133 Melville in the Downtown Core, just around the corner from their permanent space on Pender Street West of Thurlow and closeby to the media centre which will be housed in the new Vancouver Convention Centre expansion.

The space is an entire floor, something hard-to-find, when the Vancouver vacancy rate is currently sitting anywhere between 1.7 and 2.06 percent, depending on who's counting. The space is larger than what's required but was apparently secured at a good price.

The lease in question will expire in June 2010, about the time that the building's owner, Amacon, plans to demolish it.

More from the Vancouver Sun.

Torch Relay Update

BEIJING - The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics will not stage an international torch relay to avoid any potential worldwide protests, Vanoc CEO John Furlong said on Wednesday.

"The torch relay will be announced at the end of this year. It will only be in Canada," Furlong said of the 35,000 kilometre domestic relay that will last 106 days.

"We see this as a way for every Canadian to come face to face with the Games," he told an IOC session.

The IOC have decided to review the torch relay after the Beijing 2008 Games international leg turned into a weeks-long demonstration by activists against China's human rights record and its policies in Sudan's Darfur region and Tibet.

Major violent demonstrations marred the London and Paris legs of the relay while protests were also held in several other cities.

Source: Reuters.com

Major Sea to Sky Rock Slide

Fortunately it appears that there have been no injuries in what is one of the most significant rock slides to hit the Sea to Sky Highway in more than 10 years. Tuesday evening around 11:20pm approximately 16,000 cubic metres of rock broke free of the cliff side and crashed on to a section of the highway and the neighbouring rail line.

A bus was travelling by the site as the rocks tumbled down. The bus driver heard and saw the rocks starting to come down and sped up as much as possible. The bus managed to escape without injury to its' passengers although the bus lost most of its windows and received punctures to the vehicles shell.

Initial reports claimed the highway would be shut until mid- morning on Wednesday but further investigation moved that estimation to a couple of days. The most recent estimation of the clean-up period is up to 5-days rendering the road completely shut right through the BC Day long weekend.

This will undoubtedly affect countless tourists in addition to the businesses that are supported by them and raises questions regarding contingency plans during the 2010 Whistler portion of the Olympic Games.

Fortunately during the 2010 Games the athletes will be housed in Whistler but if a slide a other major disaster occurs spectators will be largely out of luck. The vehicular alternative to the Sea to Sky highway is reportedly nearly an 8 hour detour. Planes do fly into Pemberton (30 minutes north of Whistler) and Boats can travel right up to Squamish.

Bottom line... stay near events you plan to spectate and keep your fingers crossed that the Achilles heel of the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Olympic bid does not come back to haunt them.

More from the Globe and Mail.

Sea to Sky Highway Updates or BC Highways.

Photo Credit : Rowan Palmer

Pemberton Traffic Nightmare

The first annual Pemberton Festival went off without a hitch, well, mostly without a hitch. The only real concern at the massive music festival North of Whistler was the traffic associated with 40,000 spectators.

An extra 40,000 persons on a road is never easily coped with, especially when said road is under a significant amount of construction in anticipation of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver & Whistler.

The worst traffic hot spots were travelling through Pemberton from the festival grounds and also navigating the construction of Squamish, which is already a slow section on normal weekends.

LiveNation, who put on the festival, plans to host the event again next year, and will hopefully have smoother traffic flow through increased group transportation and the completion of the bulk of the Sea to Sky highway.

Streetcar in time for 2010

The City of Vancouver has a streetcar trial which they plan to be in trial operation by early 2009 running from the Olympic Village through to Granville Island on the Southern shores of False Creek (Phase 0 on image below).
In time it is hoped that this will become a permanent mode of transport with travel through to Science World. Some dream of the service continuing through to the Roundhouse in Yaletown & Gastown with an eventual extension to Stanley Park though the latter is a definite long-shot at this point.

The streetcar will be a great 2010 bonus for persons renting homes along the SEFC corridor.

VANOC : 400,000 Additional Cars Expected on Road by 2010

VANOC and the City of Vancouver expect roughly 400,000 more car trips during the 2010 Olympics. This figure is technically only about 15% more trips than normal for the City which normally has about 3M trips per day. The Greater Vancouver Metro Area normally sees about 6 million trips per day.

One thing to note is that the increased traffic will likely be centered around venues and the downtown area which could increase the percentage traffic increase in local areas.

Here's some highlights of VANOC's plans to deal with the increased traffic:

• There will be no parking at Olympic venues. Everyone attending will have to travel by bus.
• The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games will operate an almost parallel bus system that will essentially double TransLink's bus fleet on Vancouver roads.
• There will be dedicated bus services from downtown Vancouver to ski venues such as Cypress Mountain and Whistler.
• At certain hours, the Sea-to-Sky Highway will be a bus-only route, although the road will not be completely closed to local traffic.
• Vancouver will clamp down on residents of the Hastings Park area who usually rent out their yards for parking during big events.
• Some traffic arteries in the city will have Olympics-only traffic lanes.
• Simon Fraser University and the University of B.C. will shift and extend their spring breaks to coincide with the Games, reducing traffic and freeing up capacity on TransLink buses and SkyTrain.

Full article from Vancouver Sun here.

Completed Venue : UBC Winter Sports Centre

The first indoor venue to be completed is officially the UBC Winter Sports Centre. Finished 4 months ahead of schedule and at a cost of just under $49M the new 3-rink centre replaces an aging 4 rink venue. Most of the cost was bore by VANOC.

The facility which can seat 7500 persons will play host to sledge hockey, most women's ice hockey, and some men's hockey during the Paralympic and Olympic Winter Games in 2010.

Beijing : The View China Wants You to Have

Whistler Headache : Transportation

Whistler's primary concern regarding the Olympic Games is going to be transportation. The full-time, non-Olympic transit system in the resort municipality consists of 25 buses. During the Winter Olympics that number within the resort area will swell to 125.

And these numbers do not include the substantial amount of buses that will probably be used to transport people up and down the Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver. Buses may ultimately be the only vehicles, other than emergency, allowed on the to be completed thoroughfare as to achieve the 1hour 30minute time frame quoted for the IOC during the bidding for the 2010 games.

These concerns were addressed at the primary Whistler civic consultation meeting held last night.

Other issues that Whistler will be dealing with and continuing to work out right up until the Opening Ceremonies include accommodation and security.

REAL 2010

With less than two months to go until the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are underway the organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games are preparing for the counterfeiters to unleash their furry on this next event.

In anticipation of that furry they've launched a campaign called REAL 2010 encouraging fans, spectators, companies, etc. to quite simply buy real, genuine products.

In addition to this, VANOC held a three-day anti-counterfeiting training conference in Vancouver which was attended by businesses and law enforcement officers from Canada and the U.S..

The conference was run by Kestenberg Siegal Lipkus, a Toronto law firm, and co-sponsored by the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP.

West Van becomes Official Host Venue City...

...thanks to 6 generous local families who were asked to help the city come up with the minimum financial contribution needed to be officially recognized by VANOC.

The group of six donated $1M to the City of West Vancouver who in turn are passing it on to VANOC to gain their official status. The families will not be receiving anything more than a tax-receipt, which in their postal code is highly coveted, for their generous donations.

The City of West Vancouver has acknowledged their high civic tax burden through this and decided some time ago that they would not pay out of the city coffers for the Olympics.

The money donated will probably be partly returned to the city as a part of the Cultural Olympiad festivities that will take place in West Vancouver.

The city is already home to the Freestyle Skiing & Snowboarding events up on Cypress Mountain.

More from the Vancouver Sun.

Bombardier Selected for Torch

The Canadian firm Bombardier, best known throughout the world for their transit systems and regional jet aircraft, has been selected to design and build the Olympic Torches that will be used in the Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays.

The selected torch design will be unveiled early next year.

Twelve-thousand Canadians will carry the torch over 35,000 kilometres - the longest single-country relay - bringing it through up to 1,000 communities in over 100 days.

Source: CKNW AM 980

New Seabus in Time for 2010

TransLink, British Columbia Transportation minister Kevin Falcon and Malcom Barker of the Washington Marine Group announced on Monday a signed agreement for a new $25M SeaBus.

The third SeaBus will join the other two in service between North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay and Downtown Vancouver's Harbour.

Malcolm Barker said the ship will be of the greenest of green vessels and "will be built on time and on budget" in Victoria.

The vessel will initially go into service Summer 09 alleviating one of the existing SeaBuses so that it may undergo a refit. The refit will be completed in time for the 2010 Olympic Games allowing for peak service every 10 minutes vs. the current closest interval of 15 minute between ships.

Quick Facts : Whistler Olympic Park

• First time in Olympic Winter Games history that all four Nordic disciplines (biathlon, ski jumping, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing) are occurring at the same venue
• The only snowmaking system at the venue is for the ski jump landing hill
• The venue has approximately five kilometres of paved rollerski trails and six kilometres of lit trails to enhance training opportunities
• The venue will host 30 per cent of the Olympic medal events and 50 per cent of the Paralympic medal events
• Athletes will ski an average speed of just under 25 kilometres per hour during cross-country ski races, reaching maximum speeds near 60 kilometres per hour
• During the men’s 50-kilometre race, the athletes will climb approximately 2,000 vertical metres (more than twice the vertical of the men’s alpine downhill course at Whistler Creekside). The winning time for this race is expected to be approximately 2 hours, with an average speed of almost 25 kilometres per hour
• Sustainability initiatives include an on-site waste water treatment plant to use leading technology (tertiary membrane filtration and ultraviolet disinfection) for high-quality discharge to local surface water. During Games-time, as with other outdoor venues, temporary wastewater collection infrastructure will be in place to accommodate high user numbers.

VANOC Wants YOU!

There's no denying that ticket prices to the highly sought after Olympic events will be hard to come by and some may be quite expensive. An alternative that may get you into the odd event is to volunteer for VANOC. They're looking for a few good men and women.

So you didn’t quite make it as an athlete, but you’re as passionate as ever to leave your mark. This is your ticket to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

By getting involved as a volunteer, you could be joining a team of 25,000 who’ll be welcoming the world to Canada. We’re looking for a team that shares our values of excellence, teamwork, creativity, sustainability and trust. If these words speak to you, read on. We’d love to tell you more about what it takes to join our team.

From Vancouver2010.com:

• We're looking for volunteers who are available before, during and after the 2010 Winter Games. We encourage everyone to apply, but please keep in mind that the more time and flexibility you have, the more opportunities there may be for you to get involved.
• With an expected 25,000 volunteers, accommodation is an important consideration. Although pre-arranged accommodation is not a pre-requisite, we would strongly recommend it.
• You must be 19 years old on or before September 1, 2008 to apply for a volunteer role.
• We’ll be using electronic communication (such as the volunteer website and e-mail) to pass along important information. You’ll need a valid e-mail address and access to the internet to access this information. If you don’t have an e-mail address or access to the internet, view our Frequently Asked Questions for suggestions on your options.
• Your computer must be Javascript enabled. For instructions on how to do this, visit the Technical Help section of our Frequently Asked Questions.
• You must complete and pass an RCMP background check, as well as any other relevant security clearances to be considered for a volunteer role.
• There are many areas of the Games that need your help. Check out our list of Functions for a closer look at our departments.
• We’re also looking for Sport Event volunteers. Sport Events are major national or international events, such as World Cups or World Championships that will take place locally in 2008 and early 2009. VANOC will be testing operations at these events. Each sport discipline will be tested at least once leading up to the Games, so there are many chances for you to get involved. You’ll be asked if you’re interested in volunteering for Sport Events on the volunteer application form. Don’t forget to click ‘Yes.’

Ready to fill out and submit an application as a part of your Olympic Legacy? Click Here.

Quick Facts : Whistler Sliding Centre

• One of only 15 international competition sliding tracks in the world
• Highest vertical drop of any track in the world: 152 metres
• Track G-force is expected to reach 5.02 Gs (men’s luge)
• Highest speed reached in inaugural 2007-08 season: 147.9 kilometres per hour (four-man bobsleigh)
• A thin ice surface measuring between two and five centimetres is produced and maintained by hand
• The track measures 1,450 metres from start to finish, with an elevation change of over 150 metres
• 350 tons of concrete were used to construct the track
• The track has 36 on-track cameras and 42 “timing eyes”
• Energy-efficiency initiatives, designed to minimize refrigeration plant energy use, include an ammonia refrigeration system. Ammonia is one of the most energy-efficient refrigerants, producing no chlorofluorocarbons (which contribute to ozone-layer depletion and global climate change).

Shortage of Hotel Rooms in Vancouver & Whistler

There are not enough traditional hotel rooms in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver & area) or the Sea to Sky Corridor (Whistler & area)! This is both a challenge and an opportunity.

There will be an estimated 26000 hotel rooms in 2010. VANOC has reserved 21000 of those. 5500 Olympic Games athletes and officials are expected. 1350 Paralympic Games athletes and officials are anticipated. 10000 media representatives and broadcasters are forcasted. 3000 recreational vehicle spaces exist. Here's where the numbers get interesting though...

The Olympic Family anticipates 50000 guests and 350000 spectators and tourists!

Take a moment to either list a wanted add on our free forums or if you have some non-traditional accommodation that you would like to offer to a spectator or tourist you can also list that ad here.

Likely at this point if a visitor is calling a hotel inquiring about accommodation they are being put on a waiting list. They will have to explore the options of bed and breakfasts, recreational vehicles, family and friends, and private rentals of houses and condominiums. Winter2010Rentals.com has a dedicated, 100% free forum for this purpose at forum.Winter2010Rentals.com.

Ticket Countdown

At the entry of this blog their are 111 days until the ticket process begins for Vancouver 2010.

• More than 100,000 tickets will be available for $25
• Half of all Games tickets will be priced at $100 or less
• Tickets go on sale in October 2008

With more than 350,000 spectators anticipated for the 2010 Olympic Games tickets will go quickly, especially to some of the more in demand events, despite their higher prices. To ensure you have an opportunity to purchase tickets to the games you will need to sign up ASAP. To do so it would be wise to start receiving VANOCs news and info.

For persons not from Canada you will have to purchase from your local Olympic Committees designated organization. For the United States you will be able to acquire tickets from JetSetSports or CoSport.

PLEASE NOTE: Until the ticketing program has been launched, aside from vancouver2010.com and Vancouver 2010 Official Sponsors, any individual or group claiming to have access to 2010 Olympic Winter Games tickets is making that claim falsely. Once tickets have been made available, buyers should be aware that tickets bought from any unauthorized source may not be valid and may not be accepted for entry to 2010 Winter Games venues.

British Olympic Official Visits

The British minister responsible for the 2012 Summer Olympic games in London, Tess Jowell, will be visiting Vancouver next week to get a first-hand look.

She will have meetings with several officials including those from local and provincial government and VANOC.

She will also participate in a round table discussion on opportunities for Canadian businesses for the London 2012 games.

News : Game Plan 2008

With the games fast approaching, only 611 days away at time of entering this blog, VANOC will be hosting a series of informational sessions called Game Plan 2008 to help give persons living and working in and around Games Venues a more clear idea of how their lives will be affected.

“Citizens living and working near a Games venue have a unique opportunity to be at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic experience,” said Terry Wright, VANOC executive vice president of services and Games operations. “Game Plan 2008 offers the community an overview of current Games planning and a first look at how Games venues will operate before, during and after 2010. We look forward to beginning the process of providing those who live, work and play near the venues with the information and tools they need to have an exciting and memorable 2010 Winter Games experience.”

The first Game Plan 2008 presentation will be held in Whistler on June 17th. The first half of the meeting will focus on Whistler venues, transportation, public safety, security and municipal operations. The second half of the meeting will provide an opportunity for community members to speak directly with venue specialists and other planning teams as well as view more detailed information displays.

A session will be in Richmond on June 18th and several more will be held in Vancouver throughout June and July.

Whistler - Maurice Young Millennium Place - June 17th - 5pm
Richmond - Richmond City Hall - June 18th - 6:30pm
Vancouver - TBA

Further Game Plan sessions will be held throughout 2009 and leading up to the games in 2010.

News : Female Ski Jumpers vs. VANOC

Last fall, female ski jumpers launched a campaign to get their sport into the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver & Whistler.

VANOCs response was quite simple at that time. Its not our decision, it's the IOCs, and their decision is based on the fact that Women's Ski Jumping does not have a) a sufficient number of world-class competitors nor b) a sanctioned World Championships.

Since then the female ski jumpers filed a Statement of Claim on May 21, 2008 in the British Columbia court system.

On May 30, 2008, VANOC responded to that Statement of Claim with a Statement of Defence with the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Their response is available from the Court Registry.

The primary point in their response is that they are simply not the correct defendant as their role in the 2010 Olympic Games is simply to Organize and Stage them. They simply do not determine which sports may or may not be a part of the games. Period.

Open : Whistler Sliding Centre & Olympic Park

The two centres will be opening their doors this summer to the public for tours.

“Tours are a great opportunity for the public to get a first-hand look at some of the most spectacular facilities of the Games and to learn about the sports they will host,” said Cathy Priestner Allinger, VANOC executive vice president, sport and Games operations. “Visitors will leave with a great sense of anticipation for the thrilling competitions that will take place there this winter, and in 2010. This is also a great chance for residents to familiarize themselves with the world-class facilities that are now in their own backyard, and what will be an important part of their community for years to come.”

Self-guided walking tours of the Whistler Sliding Centre will begin on July 3 and continue until the end of August. Admission for these tours is $5.

Beginning June 15, free, self-guided walking, car or bike tours of Whistler Olympic Park will be available during park hours. Visitors interested in guided tours or tours of the ski jumps, however, must book in advance at www.whistlerolympicpark.com or by calling 604.964.2455. Both The Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic Park are wheelchair accessible.

VANOC press release.

Official Supplier : Garrett

Garrett Metal Detectors is an Official Supplier of the 2010 Winter Games. Garrett will provide 1,650 metal detection products including 550 walk-through and 1,100 hand-held metal detectors for security use at 2010 Winter Games venues. The 2010 Winter Games will mark the 11th time that Garrett has provided security products to Games venues since supplying walk-through and hand-held metal detectors to the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.

Garrett.com

Official Supplier : Sleep Country

Sleep Country Canada is the Official Supplier of bed frames, box springs and mattresses for the 2010 Winter Games. The sponsorship provides VANOC with over 5,800 sleep sets for athletes and officials who will be housed in the Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver and the Olympic and Paralympic Village Whistler.

SleepCountry.ca

The 2010 Version of Park 'n' Ride

With accommodation expected to be in extremely tight supply during the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver & Whistler, BC non-traditional housing for participants, media, and spectators is expected to boom. In Canada, the term Park 'n' Ride usually refers to small parking lots in close proximity to transit connections or highway arteries. During the Olympics this term may hold a slightly different meaning.

Campgrounds and other non-traditional accommodation types are expected to boom. We already told you about the City of North Vancouver's request for proposals for the docking of cruise ships at it's ports to house thousands of persons at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue within steps of the SeaBus Transit link to downtown.

Now it's becoming clear that many people are inquiring and making reservations at Campgrounds during the Olympic Games. With rates as low as $51 per night for a full-service camp site it seems a bargain. Some campgrounds are even in close proximity to public transit as an added bonus.

Fraserway RV Rentals is exploring the idea of setting up a temporary RV park in Pemberton for the games period but still have to arrange power and sewerage services.

Opening Their Home for the Olympics

While some are planning to "cash in" with an Olympic Rental others are planning to remain "cash neutral" for the experience.

One family, the Hamills of Vancouver's WestSide plan to offer a guest suite in their home free of charge to the family of an athlete whom otherwise might not be able to attend the games given the cities room shortage that will inevitably push up prices during Olympic fever.

The Hamills even plan to pick up the family from the airport and are even willing to show them around the town about and take them out for dinner to achieve this Olympic experience they crave.

VANOC is hoping that more families than just the Hamills catch this Olympic Spirit.

Official Supplier: General Mills

General Mills is the Official Supplier of Cereal and Unprepared Grocery Products for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Its sponsorship supports the 2010 Winter Games, and the Canadian Olympic teams for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Games.

GeneralMills.com

Official Supporter : Jet Set Sports

Jet Set Sports is the Official Hospitality Services provider to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

JetSetSports.com

Official Supplier: Vincor Canada

Vincor Canada is the Official Supplier of Wine for the 2010 Winter Games. Vincor has produced a special series of Esprit wines under its Jackson-Triggs label, with a portion of the proceeds going to Vancouver 2010 and the Canadian Olympic Team. Vincor wines will also feature prominently in Games-time hospitality plans.

VincorInternational.com

Beijing : Attending the Games

If your summer plans this year include attending the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games than you should make sure you read the rules before setting off. There's only one problem, they're only in Mandarin.

But be advised they include items such as these:

• No prohibited drugs
• No pornography
  
• No persons suffering from a mental disorder or insanity
• No protesting
• No sleeping in public places such as airports, train stations, sidewalks, etc.
• No removal of state secrets... this one, the way its worded, is the scary one... be VERY careful
  

Some things you are allowed to do:

• One dog or cat per person is allowed into China
• Food for your consumption for the duration of your stay

More on this can be found here and you're also encouraged to do some extensive googling as if you do get in trouble finding a qualified human rights lawyer may be challenging since many of those involved in representing the protesters from Lhasa in March are having some 'challenges' with the government.