Toronto hosting International Events???

[toforumer]

Instead of flashy events like the Olympics which may leave a legacy of unpaid bills, I think Toronto should instead vie to become the headquarters for international instituitions. They can't all be based in NYC, and really Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world. With most of the world fearing the USA these days, but with access to the USA still important, I think Canada (and of course Toronto) would be an ideal location for such instituitions. With instituitions like this, we'd attract a ton of high paying and highly educated professionals to the city, which would do wonders for the city beyond any one time sporting event.

All Summer Olympics leave a big bill for the host city but the amount of jobs created, improved infrastructure, transit lines, the development of the waterfront into a sporting atmosphere, etc. will all be worth it. I doubt Toronto would rake up a debt like Montreal. Lessons are Learned, and I'm sure other Canadian cities have learned from Montreal's mistakes. Vancouver seems to be doing pretty well now with it's budget and Calgary's Olympics actually brought in a profit.

 

[toforumer]

I also forgot to mention that if Toronto lands a big international event. Federal money will start pouring into this city like crazy. This would be money that the city would have never seen otherwise.

 

[b13]

^ You see this si the problem with Miller he doesn't know that we can do so many things to get funding from both provincial and federal governments and at the same time we will be making our city better. All Miller sees are tax hikes.

 

[afransen]

It also annoys me when people present the summer olympics as being too costly for the host city. It is indeed a huge economic boon, with billions pouring in from senior governments for infrastructure, while the operating costs of the games are easily covered between TV/sponsorship rights from the IOC (in excess of $1.5 billion with a b) and ticket/merchandise sales.

Now, some hosts may go extravagantly into debt, but this is hardly necessary. Beijing is doing it almost deliberately. They want to prove to the world that they can lavish funds better than any developed country, and London's plan is horrendously expensive to a great extent due to the nature of the city. In cities like Toronto, where costs are low, there is a high degree of pre-existing infrastructure, and there is relatively vacant land to use, it would work quite well. We're seeing that in Vancouver...

 

[Urban Shocker]

Once a city lands the Olympics the government can't back out; no matter how high, the bills must be paid.

 

[PukeGreen]

Toronto will never get the Olympics, because:

1. Whenever Toronto bids, as many people vocally oppose the bid as support it. This certainly can't go unnoticed by those making the choice. Why pick a city where half the population seems to be against the idea?

2. Funding arguments always abound. Will the federal government chip in? Provincial government? Municipal governments? What will be the ratios? This can't be reassuring from the judge's perspectives. In a place like, oh say China, this is not a concern: the government has the ultimate power to make it happen, even if it means people are evicted by bulldozer or a few thousand poor folks starve to death. The joys of authoritarianism.

3. Toronto bids always rely heavily on what we *claim* we will build, rather than what we already have. "Sure, our waterfront has been industrial wasteland for 150 years, but if we get the bid, we will convert it into a playground oasis in 6 years." Yeah, sounds fishy to me too, and I live here. Did anyone else read about how many years of red tape had to be wallowed through to build a silly beach with some umbrellas on it (referring to HtO)? Multiply this by 10,000.

4. Our public transit systems is too small, underfunded, and decrepit. We have one measly public transit link from the airport to downtown, and it takes 4 times longer than a cab. We've managed to build one pathetic useless stub of a subway line in the last half century. Our roads and highways are overloaded on a good day, and one accident creates chaos from Mississauga to Scarborough. We have very little parking downtown. Do you think the judges don't notice this sort of thing?

5. We're too close to the US. Notice that almost every other Olympics is in the US. If they give the Olympics to Canada, that means the next ones must be in Europe or Asia, and the US doesn't get an Olympics for 16 years. Do you think they will let that happen? Nope. TV ratings rule. (This applies to the summer Olympics, which are the big ratings generators, and explains why Vancouver got the 2010 Winter Games. The Winter Games are a consolation prize; but they are a non-issue in Toronto since we don't get snow and have no real mountains.)

I for one am glad. We can't even handle Woofstock or Ride for Heart without turning the downtown core into a chaotic hellhole of traffic jams. If Toronto ever gets the Olympics, I will rent my condo to some Australian or German tourists, and spend the year living and working in Australia. Or Germany. Or Iraq. Whatever the hell it takes to get away from here, because it won't be a pleasant place to be.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

5. We're too close to the US. Notice that almost every other Olympics is in the US.

We'll have hosted 3 games in 34 years...in that time span, the U.S. has hosted 4 games. I'm not buying your argument. If anything, there will be pressure to place half the overall games in North America - and by default Canada will get half of these...we can probably keep hosting one games every 12-15 years which is almost a burden on a country our size.

American networks would love a games in Toronto - fantastic prime time viewing on the east coast.

 

[afransen]

Once a city lands the Olympics the government can't back out; no matter how high, the bills must be paid.

You mean can't as in won't, or can't and in legally obliged? Denver backed out of hosting the '76 WOG due to cost concerns.

Puke,

1. The IOC conducts their own polling of resident support. Support is typically in the 80s to 90s%, and Toronto was no different when it last bid.

2. Not usually any debate. The Feds typically cover security costs, and perhaps chip in some infrastructure costs, while the province guarantees any cost overruns. This arrangement was in place the last time we bid, and will any time we make a serious bid in the future.

3. Ummm.... right. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't make any sense. Why would Toronto fight to get the Olympics, and allow itself to be an international embarassment? The Greeks struggled very hard to avoid this scenario, and they have waaaay less money than Toronto/Ontario/Canada does.

4. Our transportation infrastructure compares favourably with many cities, especially our highway network. True, transit could be better, but Toronto is much better than many American cities, including past hosts such as Atlanta.

5. The time zone is what is most influential in the ratings game. Canada is ideally situated to host the Olympics in a favourably time zone for much of the US.

"because it won't be a pleasant place to be."

Flair for the dramatic?

 

[AndreaPalladio]

We can't even handle Woofstock or Ride for Heart without turning the downtown core into a chaotic hellhole of traffic jams.

Nonsense. On King Street the weekend of Woofstock the only sign it was going on was the slight increase in the number of dogs around.

 

[toforumer]

Toronto will never get the Olympics, because:

1. Whenever Toronto bids, as many people vocally oppose the bid as support it. This certainly can't go unnoticed by those making the choice. Why pick a city where half the population seems to be against the idea?

2. Funding arguments always abound. Will the federal government chip in? Provincial government? Municipal governments? What will be the ratios? This can't be reassuring from the judge's perspectives. In a place like, oh say China, this is not a concern: the government has the ultimate power to make it happen, even if it means people are evicted by bulldozer or a few thousand poor folks starve to death. The joys of authoritarianism.

3. Toronto bids always rely heavily on what we *claim* we will build, rather than what we already have. "Sure, our waterfront has been industrial wasteland for 150 years, but if we get the bid, we will convert it into a playground oasis in 6 years." Yeah, sounds fishy to me too, and I live here. Did anyone else read about how many years of red tape had to be wallowed through to build a silly beach with some umbrellas on it (referring to HtO)? Multiply this by 10,000.

4. Our public transit systems is too small, underfunded, and decrepit. We have one measly public transit link from the airport to downtown, and it takes 4 times longer than a cab. We've managed to build one pathetic useless stub of a subway line in the last half century. Our roads and highways are overloaded on a good day, and one accident creates chaos from Mississauga to Scarborough. We have very little parking downtown. Do you think the judges don't notice this sort of thing?

5. We're too close to the US. Notice that almost every other Olympics is in the US. If they give the Olympics to Canada, that means the next ones must be in Europe or Asia, and the US doesn't get an Olympics for 16 years. Do you think they will let that happen? Nope. TV ratings rule. (This applies to the summer Olympics, which are the big ratings generators, and explains why Vancouver got the 2010 Winter Games. The Winter Games are a consolation prize; but they are a non-issue in Toronto since we don't get snow and have no real mountains.)

I for one am glad. We can't even handle Woofstock or Ride for Heart without turning the downtown core into a chaotic hellhole of traffic jams. If Toronto ever gets the Olympics, I will rent my condo to some Australian or German tourists, and spend the year living and working in Australia. Or Germany. Or Iraq. Whatever the hell it takes to get away from here, because it won't be a pleasant place to be.

You're being extremely ridiculous!!

 

[JasonParis]

The big big problem in this city is our mayor. Don't expect him to put Toronto on the world map. Remember, he's the guy who sent Live-Eight to Barrie! Stupid guy! Imagine all the lost revenues in that lucrative weekend.

He never sent Live 8 anywhere. Live 8 decided Barrie was the only possible last-minute venue (rightly or wrongly).

 

[toforumer]

He never sent Live 8 anywhere. Live 8 decided Barrie was the only possible last-minute venue (rightly or wrongly).

From what I remember, didn't Miller decline the event being held in Toronto? Live 8 wanted it to take place at Downsview Park I believe.