If Whistler gives up the opportunity to build the multi-million dollar Paralympic arena, there will be no safeguards to ensure the building remains within the corridor.
Even though Whistler has been instrumental in putting together a confidential deal that sees the arena go to Squamish, while the resort gets other perks, there is no way for Whistler to ensure that deal goes through.
The Vancouver Organizing Committee confirmed this week that the arena’s fate ultimately rests in their hands, once Whistler makes its decision.
"If Whistler chooses not to build it we have to look at what our other options are," said VANOC spokesperson Renée Smith-Valade. "There isn’t any absolute requirement to put it in the corridor but there are options clearly that exist there that we’ve taken into consideration and that we’ve been made aware of but we would want to make sure that we’ve looked at all of the possible options inside and outside of the corridor."
When asked if VANOC could forgo building a new multi-million dollar complex and instead use an existing facility to host to the sledge hockey events for the Paralympic Games, Smith-Valade said: "There are options all over the place. We have multiple options. I’m not going to give a lot of detail on where they are but suffice to say we have options inside and outside of the Sea to Sky corridor."
Under the Games Venue Agreement of December 2002, Whistler can choose to take $20 million from VANOC and build an arena (estimated at that time to cost double that) or $2 million from VANOC and give up the arena altogether.
After examining the costs of a traditional arena, the municipality came to the conclusion that to build the arena and operate it over the long term could be detrimental to the resort and could ultimately cost taxpayers too much money.
And so, for the past seven months, the Resort Municipality of Whistler has been working on a deal that would see the arena move to Squamish, along with $8 million from the Vancouver Organizing Committee.
The remaining VANOC money, $12 million, would stay in Whistler to build a second ice sheet at Meadow Park and enhance the athlete centre.
One of the reasons for pursuing the Squamish deal was to help out a corridor partner, said Councillor Gordon McKeever. Not only does Squamish have better soils and a larger population to use the arena and support a Junior A hockey team he said, this was also Whistler’s way of bringing their corridor partner into the Games to reap some Olympic benefits.
"It was also a feel-good decision on behalf of council to have our growing best friends – we’ve developed a good relationship with Squamish this term… participate in the Games and at the same time we were able to keep the majority of the $20 million," said McKeever.
"It just seemed like a really good possibility."
The deal appears to be changing at the 11th hour now as Squamish last week asked for more than $8 million to make the arena work.
And that makes it less appealing for Whistler, said McKeever.
"It’s not as attractive as $12 million (for Whistler), there’s no doubt about it," he said.
And no part of this deal is in writing.
Councillor Kristi Wells is perhaps the most concerned that there is no written documentation outlining the deal, particularly the part of the deal that gives Whistler $8 million in the event of turning down the $20 million.
Councillor Ken Melamed dismisses those concerns as "hogwash." He said: "It’s as good as done."
McKeever also has faith the deal will still stand in the event Whistler turns down the $20 million.
"These are honourable people we’re dealing with in this matter," he said. "There’s reason to be comfortable with it."
Wells explained that she is not criticizing VANOC or casting doubt on their honour.
"It’s not about trusting partners," she said. "It’s about reality. There are other agendas. VANOC is VANOC. We’re Whistler. And it’s not the same. Our priorities are not always the same."
Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland said he is not worried about VANOC pulling the rug from under Squamish in the event of Whistler passing on the opportunity.
He said they already have the parameters of an agreement in place even though there is no written agreement with VANOC to date.
"I’m confident and comfortable that an agreement (can be reached)," he said. " We’ve had great conversations from VANOC."
Still, VANOC will be reviewing all its options in the event that Whistler says no.
"We need to look at the capital budget for the Games overall and not just this venue in isolation," said Smith-Valade. "We have a finite capital budget from the federal and provincial governments and we’re responsible then to deliver all of the Games competition venues. So we’re constantly reviewing that budget and that overall venue plan to make sure that we’re being fiscally responsible and that we’re managing the program within those available resources."
At the moment, council has 30 days to deliver their decision, though there appears to be a feeling from some councillors that they may want to ask VANOC for an extension.
