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Businesses told to start planning for Olympic opportunities

Bid corporation committed to multi-modal transportation solution Local businesses were told they need to start planning now if they want to capitalize on opportunities a Winter Olympic Games might bring to Whistler.

Bid corporation committed to multi-modal transportation solution

Local businesses were told they need to start planning now if they want to capitalize on opportunities a Winter Olympic Games might bring to Whistler.

And they were reminded at a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting that many believe the future of B.C. lies in pursuing tourism.

"I think for that reason alone the Olympics are worth pursuing," said Terry Wright, vice-president of the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Corporation.

"I think the (winter) Olympics are still small enough that we can get all the opportunities and all the benefits with none of the problems."

At an earlier meeting the top 10 concerns of chamber members were listed in order of importance as being:

• Accommodation and Housing;

• Transportation;

• Lasting benefits;

• Local business opportunities;

• Infrastructure;

• Local support;

• Security and terrorism;

• Cost and funding sources;

• Quality of services for guests and locals;

• Olympic merchandizing.

Wright said options were still being discussed around where the Whistler athletes village would be. The hope is to use the village as part of an overall plan to increase the land-bank of the municipality, which would help out in the future when it comes to accommodation and housing.

But the athletes village must also work for the Games.

Many of the athletes in Salt Lake have found accommodations elsewhere because they are facing up to a 75-minute commute to get to their venues.

How much of the Whistler athletes village is permanent and how much, if any, will be temporary is still being discussed. The current plan is for the village to be a permanent legacy for resident housing.

Studies have shown that real estate values have not been overly affected by the Games.

But rental accommodation is another matter. Wright said there were houses for rent during the Salt lake Games for as much as $57,000. Most remain unrented in that price range.

But there is no doubt that short-term demand increases and markets respond by charging more.

That’s true for businesses too. The best plan, said Wright is to aim for the long term and think about who will be renting after the Games are over.

On the transportation front Wright said the bid corporation was committed to a multi-modal plan using marine, road, rail and even some helicopters to get people where they need to be.

There is already a commitment in place for 24 high-speed marine craft to run from Vancouver to Squamish, where passengers would be transferred to buses or trains.

WestCoast Express has also committed some of its double-decker trains to carry passengers to Whistler. Building a new road is not an option said Wright.

These options will work because a Winter Olympics in Whistler will not be playing host to tens of thousands of spectators. In Calgary, for example, 80,000 people went to the final ski jump event.

But if the Nordic event facility goes ahead in the Callaghan Valley only about 15,000 people will be able to attend each event.

For the alpine events, spectators will be kept to between 10,000 and 12,000. Wright said there is no doubt more tickets could be sold to these events.

"But we are committed to selling an alpine environment that is smaller and less stress on transportation systems and the environment," he said.

When it comes to the impact on accommodation in the resort bid members say they need every bed the resort has to offer.

The Westin and the Chateau have already committed to the bid corporation and many other hotels and accommodations businesses are in discussions about making their beds available for use during the Games.

Wright is also hoping that Whistler homeowners will help make the resort a hospitality capital by offering free rooms to athlete’s families or others who might need accommodation.

It’s likely, said Wright, that bylaws may be relaxed so that homeowners may rent out a room in their home, but some restrictions will apply.

Locals may also be in line to get some premier tickets on a preferential basis, but details of that are yet to be worked out.

In an economic report released last month by the provincial government it is estimated that the Games will bring $3 billion in net economic activity over the 12 days.

Over 67,000 jobs will be created and $774 million in taxes will be collected.

Add in a new convention centre in Vancouver and net economic activity jumps to $8.1 billion, with 182,000 jobs created, and $2 billion in taxes paid.

Some of those taxes will already have been spent by the time the Games are over as it is estimated that it will cost $200 million to provide safety and security measures for the 2010 Games.

Forty per-cent of this cost will be paid for by the province. The rest of the tab is picked up by the federal government.

Security for the Salt Lake Games is expected to cost U.S $250 million. That is U.S $40 million more than expected before the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.