Hosting a summer Olympic games

[micheal_can]

Every so often, it seems another bid to host an Olympic games always comes up. Reality is, a winter games is highly unlikely due to the lack of snow and a high enough hill for many events. A summer Olympic games would be viable. If we were to assume the games would happen within 100km of the CN Tower, besides an Olympic village,is there anything that that area does not have to host the summer games? Where would be the most realistic location for an Olympic village? What key transportation infrastructure would be needed that is currently missing and not funded?

This is not about whether the area should host the games, but what is needed to host the games that is lacking.

 

[lenaitch]

is there anything that that area does not have to host the summer games?

I would suggest everything. I await the Games that 'makes do' with existing facilities.

The Olympic games are a travelling money grab particularly for the IOC.

 

[christiesplits]

I would suggest everything. I await the Games that 'makes do' with existing facilities.

The Olympic games are a travelling money grab particularly for the IOC.

I believe that many of the newer facilities built for the 2015 Pan Am games are not Olympic-grade.

 

[Towered]

I see that your unrealistic fantasies extend beyond rail. You're branching out!

 

[micheal_can]

I would suggest everything. I await the Games that 'makes do' with existing facilities.

The Olympic games are a travelling money grab particularly for the IOC.

So, Toronto could host a games with just building n Olympic village and maybe some better transit connections?

I do understand how bad the IOC is with their money grabbing. However, that may change if they keep having problems getting bids. It used to be a prestigious thing, but now, most places don't want the hassle.

I see that your unrealistic fantasies extend beyond rail. You're branching out!

My fantasy is a world that is great to live in for everyone. The problem is, it clashes with what people think is possible.

 

[lenaitch]

So, Toronto could host a games with just building n Olympic village and maybe some better transit connections?

I do understand how bad the IOC is with their money grabbing. However, that may change if they keep having problems getting bids. It used to be a prestigious thing, but now, most places don't want the hassle.


My fantasy is a world that is great to live in for everyone. The problem is, it clashes with what people think is possible.

Perhaps somebody could point out an Olympics in recent history that 'got by' with existing facilities and perhaps minor upgrades. As Christiesplits mentioned, it is possible the Pan Am Games facilities are not up to Olympic standards. Even if they were, somehow the IOC or local Committee would determine that they are inadequate. Their goal is to build monuments to themselves every four years with everybody else's money.

My fantasy would be to pick two sites - one summer and one winter - as permanent venues.

 

[micheal_can]

Perhaps somebody could point out an Olympics in recent history that 'got by' with existing facilities and perhaps minor upgrades. As Christiesplits mentioned, it is possible the Pan Am Games facilities are not up to Olympic standards. Even if they were, somehow the IOC or local Committee would determine that they are inadequate. Their goal is to build monuments to themselves every four years with everybody else's money.

I feel the Vancouver games were maybe one of the closest to using existing facilities in recent memory.

My fantasy would be to pick two sites - one summer and one winter - as permanent venues.

Not the worst idea, but also not the best idea. How would you make the case for somewhere to be that host?

 

[christiesplits]

The only way I see Toronto getting the Olympics in the next few decades is if they co-host the games with Montreal or Buffalo. Co-hosting is becoming more common for tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euros.

 

[micheal_can]

The only way I see Toronto getting the Olympics in the next few decades is if they co-host the games with Montreal or Buffalo. Co-hosting is becoming more common for tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euros.

Doing it with Montreal may be a good idea. Via's HFR/HSR would need to be built to handle the influx of people. Could even be used as an excuse to get it done sooner.

 

[lenaitch]

I feel the Vancouver games were maybe one of the closest to using existing facilities in recent memory.


Not the worst idea, but also not the best idea. How would you make the case for somewhere to be that host?

No clue, but they managed to do it for the UN and EU. Winter would be somewhat easier; Switzerland is historically unaligned. There is always the problem of broadcast rights which is a huge cash cow for the IOC. They dislike any venue that is in the middle of the night for North American audiences.

Doing it with Montreal may be a good idea. Via's HFR/HSR would need to be built to handle the influx of people. Could even be used as an excuse to get it done sooner.

Or ending up with something that is half-baked like the UPX for the Pan-Am games. Depending on what Olympiad they bid on, some steps simply can't be accelerated. Montreal's singular Olympic financial track record ain't great.

 

[micheal_can]

No clue, but they managed to do it for the UN and EU. Winter would be somewhat easier; Switzerland is historically unaligned. There is always the problem of broadcast rights which is a huge cash cow for the IOC. They dislike any venue that is in the middle of the night for North American audiences.

That will make picking a permanent site hard. The problem is that reliance on broadcasting money. If it disappears,it could make those sites no longer viable.

Or ending up with something that is half-baked like the UPX for the Pan-Am games. Depending on what Olympiad they bid on, some steps simply can't be accelerated. Montreal's singular Olympic financial track record ain't great.

Yeah, we don't need that kind of mess.

 

[Northern Light]

My fantasy is a world that is great to live in for everyone. The problem is, it clashes with what people think is possible.

No, the problem is that its a fantasy, rather than an aspiration.

To be clear, aspiring to have your community, or province or country etc to have a higher standard of living or more amenities is not only fine, its essential, nothing ever gets better by accepting the status quo.

However, the better you seek needs to be logically attainable within a vaguely reasonable period of time, there should also be evidence that its a sound use of money. Preferences will vary, and that's fine, but you are often an advocate for things no less unrealistic that Sudbury getting its own NHL team (I await the thread for this idea.......now, sigh)

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The Summer Olympics are attainable by Toronto, but whether they are worthwhile to obtain is a different question.

I don't wish to visit that issue at length here, but rather, I'll note the often suggested benefits (new sports facilities, new affordable housing, new transit and sprucing up the community, along with tourism/branding benefits are all a bit questionable.

What's questionable is whether the sports facilities will be maintained (many are not in Olympic hosts cities), whether those facilities will benefit a broad swath of the community or solely elite athletes, and whether we couldn't just build the housing and the transit more cheaply, if it were built w/o the fanfare and cost of the olympics and perhaps be better sited as well.

There's also the question of whether the global exposure has a material, lasting impact on tourism.

The pros/cons are laid out quite well in this report by the Council on Foreign Relations:

The Economics of Hosting the Olympic Games

The costs of hosting the Olympics have skyrocketed, while the economic benefits are far from clear. The 2024 Paris Olympics could be a test of whether reforms to the process have made hosting a bette…

www.cfr.org

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When you read the above, I think you'd find the case isn't exactly compelling.

The one argument that carries some broader appeal, I think, is that it arguably forces a deadline on government to get certain things done. For Pan Am, the UP Express was such a project, long talked about, but promised to Pan Am organizers as ready and open for the games, it got the highest level of push from the province to 'just make it happen'.

When one can achieve a critical mass of well thought out, long needed projects and avoid needless delay.......that is tempting. Only the trade off for that is considerable added expense.

In the near-term Toronto simply has too much construction of all types already underway to handle one more mega project, on top of the current wish lists.

In the medium term, perhaps it could be revisited, but I'm not convinced that its a priority.

I'm also not sold that all the debt it entails will actually make most Torontonian/.Ontarian lives better

 

[afransen]

I don't think Toronto is likely to host the Olympics ever at this point.

Where could an Athletes village be built? Maybe Downsview.

 

[christiesplits]

I don't think Toronto is likely to host the Olympics ever at this point.

Where could an Athletes village be built? Maybe Downsview.

Downsview is probably the last remaining large space to build.

 

[Northern Light]

I don't think Toronto is likely to host the Olympics ever at this point.

Where could an Athletes village be built? Maybe Downsview.

Again, not that I prioritize this.........but its not as limited a choice as you think.

Paris built their Olympic village about 8km from the City Centre (outside Paris, proper's limits)

Downsview aside, you pretty much need ~40 hectares or 100 acres for the athletes village.

Any golf course that's located more than 50% on table land is an obvious choice.

Two in the City would meet that criteria, Downsview Dells and Islington.

Of course, a transit connection in some form is an issue, but several spots along GO Lines could be found, if desired, though we're likely talking about despoiling more farmland/nature, though some of this is already approved; see Seaton, north of Pickering which has railway access, though no current passenger service.

More realistically, closer to the action, much of Exhibition Place is parking, and non-heritage structures.

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Now look what you've done! Here I am trying to mostly dismiss the idea and you've gone and made me try to see how to make it work, stop that! LOL