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Unique ideas in hosting 2010 Olympic Winter Games increase cost

The release of bid competitor Bern’s mini-bid book sheds light on differing budgets The unique nature of the Vancouver-Whistler bid to win the 2010 Winter Olympic Games adds costs that some other bids may not experience.

The release of bid competitor Bern’s mini-bid book sheds light on differing budgets

The unique nature of the Vancouver-Whistler bid to win the 2010 Winter Olympic Games adds costs that some other bids may not experience.

For example the Vancouver bid includes $5 million for the Legacies Now program, said president and chief operating officer John Furlong.

This program, developed by the province, the Bid Corp, and sponsors, has already put in place services province-wide to develop sport.

The Legacies Now program is "part of a determined effort to get Canada to No. 1 in the world (of sports) by 2010," said Furlong.

"It’s a long-term, consolidated effort to get Canada to first place."

He said the International Olympic Committee wants the host country to do well at the Olympics.

"It creates the best theatre for sport," he said.

"Look at Salt Lake where the Americans did so well, or at Sydney where the Australians did very well."

Furlong, in Whistler to give an update to council on the bid, was reacting to cost comparisons being drawn between the Vancouver bid and the bid by Bern, Switzerland.

Both are considered to have a good chance of winning the 2010 Games. The final decision on who will get the Games will be made in 2003.

Last weekend, in an unprecedented move, Bern decided to make public its mini-bid book, a questionnaire each applicant city had to hand in to the International Olympic Committee by May 31.

The questionnaire poses 22 questions covering themes such as motivation, finances, and venues.

Furlong said Vancouver’s mini bid book will be made public at some point. But for now the Bid Corp refuses to release the details of its "playbook" as it might tip the competition.

"The people who have worked on (the mini-bid book) are very proud of it and would like nothing better than to show it off – and we will at some point," Furlong told council.

There are seven other cities bidding for the right to host the 2010 Winter Games.

Furlong, speaking after the council meeting, added that its difficult to compare the Bern and Vancouver bid costs as it is not clear what is included and what is excluded.

"A lot of the European bids are getting government support for technical planning," he said by way of an example.

"I think if you put a value to the entire process it would be different."

He said the Vancouver and Whistler teams were doing all their own work.

Several other factors also played a role said Furlong. Vancouver is a long way from Switzerland, where the IOC is located, and it costs money to travel to its headquarters and to the headquarters of sport governing bodies.

According to the Bern mini-bid book the cost of bidding for the Games is expected to be $7.5 million US.

The Vancouver Bid Corporation expects to spend $34 million Cdn.

When it comes to cost of the facilities, Furlong pointed out that many of the facilities needed to host a Winter Olympics are already in place in Bern. However all need upgrades, including the famous St. Moritz bobsled run first used in 1904.

It’s really too early to draw comparisons at this point said Furlong.

"I think a lot of water could go under the bridge before the final bid books are in," he said.

"(In) Bern, for example, their hockey rink is only a concept at this point."

The money for Bern’s bid will come from all levels of government as well as private and corporate sponsors.

As not all the details are available it is unclear whether the applicant cities include the same items in their budgets, making it difficult to compare costs.

Bern said it expects to spend $78 million US upgrading or providing the necessary facilities.

The Vancouver Bid expects the must-have sport facilities to cost around $620 million Cdn.

The ice competitions will for the most part take place in and around Bern. The events on snow will mostly be in Fribourg.

Bern boasts that its transportation system is excellent with rail and road connections to venues. No one will travel more than 90 minutes to get to an event.

Its mini-bid book states: "No new transport infrastructure will be developed apart from those which are planned and would be necessary even in the absence of the Games."

Further on Bern’s questionnaire outlines major transport upgrades including new sections of rail and road and the construction of at least one tunnel through the Alps.

Access roads to mountain venues will be closed to general traffic during the Bern Games, which would run from Feb. 5 to Feb. 21 in 2010.

Public opinion polls in Bern show that 67 per cent favour holding the Games, 24 per cent are against, and 9 per cent don’t know.

According to the Vancouver Bid Corp, support for the Vancouver-Whistler bid lies around 80 per cent for holding the Games, both provincially and nationally.