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Toronto & the Olympics

Some Japanese city hosted it last year and I can't even remember the name of the city. That tells you alot.
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Aichi was the host of the last Expo. Aichi isn't even a city- it's a prefecture in Japan (something like our provinces). More people would have remembered the Expo host if it was named after the largest city in the prefecture, Nagoya.

As for the popularity of Expo (or World's Fair), I think it will make a comeback in 2010, like I've written all along. Shanghai will be the host of that Expo, and the Chinese are treating it at the same level as the Beijing 2008 Olympics. The BIE could be counting on Shanghai to make Expo as popular as it was in the good old days.

Looking at the candidates for 2015 (from Wikipedia), it seems like three out of four are (excuse me) world-class cities. Izmir's not a well-known city, but you can find it in the Bible (it was formerly known as Smyrna).
 
We are so easily accessible to such a vast market that given adequate marketing I can't see how an Expo Toronto (i like the sound of that!) would fail to at least be moderately successful; and if it would secure us financing for infrastructure and development then I say, bring it on!
 
wylie: There are 1.3 billion people in China, where the news media is controlled by the government and is used to mold public opinion. Of course the Olympics and the Expo will be hugely popular. The international bodies that award these bloated commercial events are literally banking on that fact.
 
It seems like they would like a higher profile for the Expo cities. It seems they'd like it with a more consistent cycle too (five years)?
 
Just going back on topic here about the Olympics: The U.S. is deciding between Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles as their 2016 Summer Olympic Candidate city. Tokyo is bidding as well. Should be a good showdown between those two cities for the hosting rights. New York should have bid again but passed on it this time around. I think the Americans will chose between Chicago or San Francisco. With the stadium plans revealed by Chicago recently, it doesn't sound too pleasant. Building a temporary athletics stadium and connecting it to Soldier's Field where the Opening/Closing Ceremonies will be held. Sounds kind of half assed to me.
 
I hadn't been following the bid lately. It's interesting to hear that NYC is passing. I think this is an indication that Toronto should bid again. I think Toronto would become the North American bid in a sense because I have my doubts as to the technical strength of either Chicago or SF's bid.
 
Building a temporary athletics stadium and connecting it to Soldier's Field where the Opening/Closing Ceremonies will be held. Sounds kind of half assed to me.
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Sounds a lot like the trick Atlanta did with its "temporary" Olympic Stadium, which was later converted into Turner Field for the Atlanta Braves.

stadium4.jpg


turner_field1211.jpg
 
There seem to be a lot considering 2016 as their year: South American cities (Santiago, BA, Rio), African/Middle East (Dubai, Doha, Cape Town, Nairobi), Asia (New Delhi, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Busan, Bangkok), as well as some European cities that won't have a chance after 2012 London (Madrid, German cities).

If the US don't win 2016, which is very possible if there's a strong Cape Town/South American bid, I think 2020 or 2024 is very possible for TO to get it.
 
I think given the slate of candidates from the US running for 2016, things are looking up for the chances of a Toronto bid. It is getting to be high time for the Games to return to North America (at the very least before Asia and Europe), and the American candidates are going to be much weaker than we previously thought. Without NYC or even Washington bidding, Toronto would have a much better chance.

I'm kinda hoping Toronto misses the Expo deadline. Stall Harper, stall. Unfortunately, I doubt this will happen, as Harper probably doesn't want to give ammunition to the opposition in the GTA battleground.
 
I was thinking the same thing. If the Expo bid gets stalled along the way and they miss the deadline because of the government's lack of attention and support at the moment, then Toronto city officials can begin organizing a bid for 2016. Chicago and SF's wouldn't be able to touch a highly technical and compact bid like Toronto's. Both SF and Chicago are both experiencing problems trying to organize their bids at the moment. Chicago's venue plan isn't the best especially their Stadium proposal. The IOC wouldn't want a temporary stadium for athletics and holding the Opening/Closing Ceremonies in another stadium. They usually award the games to the city that proposes those glitzy new state of the art stadiums and other new Olympic venues. I've read elsewhere that San Francisco doesn't have the international appeal to warrant an Olympics but Atlanta won them before so you never know, well Coca-Cola bought it for them..haha. The only thing that would negatively affect the bid will be Vancouver hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. I don't know if that's something too big to get over. The Americans hosted a Summer and Winter Olympics 6 years apart: Atlanta 96 & SLC 02. It's been done before but this is the USA were talking about not Canada. But it's interesting to note anyways. The thing that would worry me though is if Toronto loses again, we'll become like Istanbul bidding for each Olympics and lose each time. Pretty embarassing if you ask me. Maybe the third time is the charm.
 
Sounds a lot like the trick Atlanta did with its "temporary" Olympic Stadium, which was later converted into Turner Field for the Atlanta Braves.
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Atlanta didn't use two stadiums to host the Opening/Closing ceremonies in one and Athletics in the other though just like what Chicago is proposing in their bid plan.
 
I don't know, I think SF has plenty of name brand across the world...
 
News was just released today about Japan's national bidding rights. It looks like Tokyo is behind in the Japanese race for bidding rights behind Fukuoka. I'm telling you 2016 is opening up for a North American games and Toronto can easily rival Chicago/SF.


www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/nati...Y03005.htm

Tokyo behind in Olympic race
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara is taking the initiative in Tokyo's contest with Fukuoka over the hosting of the Summer Olympics in 2016, despite his city's bid being poorly rated by sporting organizations.
 
If the U.S. can get Olympics 6 years apart, maybe we can, too, but not if we got Vancouver just to be shut up for a while...
 
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