Morgan:News:2010:Bronze Edition: May 2005

Monday, May 30, 2005

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Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1033
CITY OF VANCOUVER OFFERS FIRST CONTRACTS IN DEVELOPMENT OF 2010 ATHLETES VILLAGE

The City of Vancouver's department that is assigned to oversee the development of the 2010 Olympics Vancouver Athlete's Village has issued its first Request for Proposals. It's a call for firms to design and integrate the public facilities and servicing of the area, starting with the Village, with work to begin early next year.

The South-East False Creek and Olympic Village Project Office wants the winning firm to deal with designing the same services and establishing the same facilities along the False Creek shoreline within the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan area.

The types of items to be handled include public rights of way, park space, community facilities and the like. In addition, the firm will also be implementing a decision approved by Vancouver City Council on March 1 -- to create a neighbourhood energy system for the entire area, again, starting with the 2010 Athletes' Village section, one "that advances district energy production through sustainable technologies and measures."

City planners say that the Project Office will soon be inviting "expressions of interest" from developers to build the permanent buildings in the Athletes' Village. A developer will be selected by November or December, who will "then be available to provide input to the final designs for the public infrastructure and waterfront."

A conceptual site grading, and a conceptual storm-water management plan will be required for the area that's being developed, which includes the Athletes Village.

In addition, detailed infrastructure design is required for energy, storm-water management, streetscape concepts, water supply, sanitary systems, greenways and bikeways, and street design. These will all be required for the public areas of Ontario, Manitoba, Columbia and Front Streets, "Zero Avenue Mews", First Avenue, the park space west of Columbia, and the park space along the waterfront from Cambie Street to Ontario Street.

The design work is to start in July, and be completed by December 1. There will be an information meeting for proponents on June 7, with proposals to be delivered to the City by June 24, which is a Friday. They'll be opened June 27.

BACKGROUND

The overall area involved is a 38-hectare site along the south-east section of False Creek, an inlet of English Bay that defines the southern side of the City's downtown core. It's the last major area of False Creek to be redeveloped by the city in a process that began in the early '70s.

Last March, City council finally approved the Official Development Plan for the area, which is bounded by Cambie Street to Main Street and Second Avenue to False Creek.

Within this area, roughly in its centre, is to be constructed the Olympic Village, which will also have an associated park and shoreline area. Once its use by athletes is completed, it will be turned into housing, and the rest of the surrounding area will be developed. A security-zone buffer area will prevent development in the immediately surrounding area until then, although the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee is expected to spruce up the surroundings temporarily during the Games, since there will be a lot of TV coverage in the area.

The Olympic Village bounds are Columbia Street to Ontario Street and First Avenue to False Creek.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 30, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1032
SPONSORSHIP DEAL MAY BE OFFERED TO COMPANY THAT WINS CONTRACT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE SYSTEM

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has finally issued, about a month late according to planning just a few months ago, a Request for Proposals for firms to provide it with a new financial administration system.

VANOC has not changed is mind about its requirements for the new system's major components - such a system-wide general ledger, procurement, commitments tracking, budgeting & forecasting, and contract administration -- to be in place before the end of December.

The system is supposed to support all of VANOC's organizational objectives through the execution and into dissolution of the Games operation, which is currently scheduled to occur by June, 2011, and VANOC also wants the new system to be capable of considerable expansion by way of additional modules as its requirements grow. The new, industrial-grade system, is to replace a hodge-podge of various off-the-shelf computer programs its currently using.

In fact, VANOC says it specifically requires proponents to get as close as possible to supplying its needs for general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, procurement via purchase order, commitments tracking, contract administration, budgeting & forecasting, project accounting, asset management and a report writer. Future additions to the financial accounting system that will need to be integrated: project management, rate card, logistics & material planning, as well as inventory, and there may be other requirements later as well.

However, it has changed its mind about two things.

First, it is offering the RFP in two major segments -- provision of the systems and on-going implementation of the system that is chosen, and it says it may award the provision and the implementation separately, although it is urging providers and implementers to team up in order to provide VANOC with the best solution. Value-added resellers, system integrators or implementers are also encouraged to submit multiple proposals, one for each system that would fit VANOC's criteria.

Second, it is considering the idea that it might -- separately -- offer a sponsorship deal for the company that provides it with the system it chooses, but it is clear that it hasn't yet made the decision whether to go that route, and it has told proponent companies in the RFP that they shouldn't bank on that. VANOC says it will only ask the companies to submit a sponsorship proposal after it has received and opened the results of the current RFP process. As it puts it, "From the evaluation, VANOC may either award the contract to the proponent with the highest evaluation score, or select a shortlist of proponents from which sponsorship proposals will be solicited."

VANOC also makes it clear that a proponent's success might not just be based on how closely a particular financial system might be tailored to VANOC's considerable requirements, which we've documented earlier, "but also on the submission, if requested by VANOC, of a subsequent sponsorship proposal."

Under sponsorship deals that VANOC has negotiated so far, companies -- such as Bell Canada, the Royal Bank, HBC and Rona -- receive the rights to market themselves as "partners" with VANOC, and to use its logos and those of the International Olympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Committee under strict conditions, and so far all the deals have been for eight years, ending December 31, 2012, in exchange for provision of the requested goods or services, and cash. As well, they have so far received exclusivity on all the marketing channels associated with such deals. The deals have so far ranged from C$86 million to C$200 million.

On the other hand, VANOC is just as strict about gagging its regular suppliers and contractors. Non-disclosure clauses are embedded in every contract VANOC issues in those situations, to the point where some firms can't even talk about their relationship with VANOC, but in those cases, VANOC simply buys the goods or services.

The deadline for the response to the RFP is June 17. They'll be evaluated by July 15. The short-listed firms will receive demo scripts, and they'll have to set up demonstrations for VANOC and its consultant -- SoftResources LLC, an independent software-selection consulting group based in Seattle -- to see how closely they can have their systems deal with the script. The selection of the system is expected, at the moment, to take place in late August or early September, leaving less than three months to have the systems implement and the major training done in order to meet the end-of-year deadline it has currently set for the process.

VANOC currently has about 100 on staff.

BACKGROUND

VANOC has organized itself into about 60 functions, some are operational now, some will be later. The Finance function consists of: the Vice President & Comptroller, the Director of Financial Services, the Director of Budgets and Planning, a budget analyst, an accountant, accounts payable/receivable, a Procurement manager and a buyer (there can be, and often is, more than one person in some of those positions.)

In addition, there is an accounting manager in the Venue Development function, along with about nine full-time people who are working on various development projects. VANOC expects that another four jobs will be added in Finance and Procurement the end of next month.

A project manager will be in charge of implementing the financial-services project.

RESOURCES

SoftResources LLC
2517 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98102-3278
Phone: 206.860.2400
Fax: 206-860-2828
http://www.softresources.com

Earlier major stories we've written about this project:

'Olympic control to extend over a wide range of management systems'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:982; Published on Tuesday, May 3, 2005]

'Financial system requirements for this year reveal more of VANOC's organizational structure'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:839; Published on Friday, February 18, 2005]

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 30, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1031
2010 ISSUES URGENT CALL FOR DETAILED GROUND-SURVEY WORK FOR CALLAGHAN VALLEY PROJECT

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has issued an urgent call for proposals from companies to do high-resolution surveying of the areas in the Callaghan Valley where construction is to occur.

The call went out late Friday, and formal proposals have to be delivered to VANOC headquarters by this Friday, June 3. Planners say they hope to have the work completed within four weeks of telling the winning company they have the contract to do it, "Time is of the essence as the design is ongoing and the survey is required as quickly as possible," they say.

The 262 hectare site where the Whistler Nordic Centre is covered by old growth forests and 20-year-old second-growth forest. The topography varies from undulating to steep and mountainous. The flatter areas contain numerous boggy areas and some small streams. The development will eventually incorporate two stadiums -- one for cross-country and the other for the biathlon, as well as the ski jumps and a number of technical and support buildings, a waste-water treatment plant, large parking lots for tour busses, a well and a five-hectare 'borrow pit'.

The majority of the area where the development is to occur is located on the flatter areas, with the exception of a few cross-country trails and, of course, the ski jump facilities, which, at the moment, VANOC officials still propose will be temporary.

The WNC designers, primarily Sandwell Engineering, have been working over the past winter on the overall design of the project, using existing survey work done last year and the year before by VANOC consultant, and that involved setting up survey controls, doing some aerial topographic mapping and some general ground surveys to confirm aerial mapping. That was used to determine the amount of ground reworking, clearing and how various facilities would be placed.

This latest RFP was issued by VANOC to get proposals for detailed topographic surveys, ranging from 1:500 and half-metre contours to 1:5,000, at the sites of proposed structures themselves, and some of the requirement is for 3D work. This information will be used by Sandwell to design the specifics of the Nordic facilities themselves.

A number of crews working on the first earth-moving contracts are either already on site, or are expected to be marshalled in the valley by mid-June.

A mandatory site visit and meeting for proponents will be held on Wednesday morning, starting at 10; representatives are to meet at the junction of Highway 99 and Callaghan East Main, a construction road into the area. Proposals from proponents that do not attend the meeting won't be considered.

RESOURCES

An 890k PDF file showing the overall layout of the planned Whistler Nordic Centre:
http://www.morgan-news.com/2010/SupportFiles/2005-05/CallaghanValleyTopoOverview.pdf

An artists' sketch of what the Whistler Nordic Centre will look like in operation:
http://www.morgan-news.com/2010/SupportFiles/2005-04/NordicCentreSketch.jpg

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 30, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |IOC| #1030
NEXT ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS OVER 2010 BROADCASTING RIGHTS ABOUT TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS

The process of awarding the Australian rights to broadcast the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games is about to start.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already auctioned off the broadcasting rights to the American, Canadian and European markets, at a considerable premium over previous sets of Games. South American and Asian negotiations are also yet to be held.

IOC officials attribute the scale of the broadcasting rights increase to a new standardized open-tender process that has increased competition among firms within specific markets. Another factor, they say, is that with the proliferation of cable channels, sport remains one of the only remaining magnets for viewers. IOC officials confirm the Olympic Games continues to retain substantial cross-market popular appeal.

At the moment, host city organizing committees are entitled to 49% of the income raised from broadcasting rights, with the balance retained by the IOC for distribution to international sports bodies. A change in the rules entitling host cities to a fixed amount, rather than a fixed percentage of TV revenues, will come into effect with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and VANOC management are negotiating that amount with the IOC.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 30, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1029
COREA, COBB CONFIRM 2010 BRANDED CONSUMER-ITEMS SALES PLANS ARE ON TARGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION THIS YEAR

A spokesman for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), Sam Corea, says the Winter Games Logo, "is just the first creative expression of Canada's 2010 Winter Games, and is the beginning of the story that VANOC and all Canadians will share with the world over the next five years."

Corea says that Ilanaaq, as the emblem is called, and its "associated designs and colours" will be featured in "thousands of applications as VANOC develops its Look of the Games Program. Examples include licensed products, street banners, publications and rink boards at sport venues." These applications, he says, "will make the logo one of the most recognized marks in the world."

Dave Cobb, VANOC's senior vice president of Revenue, Marketing and Communications, adds, "We know that Canadians want to show their enthusiasm and support for the 2010 Winter Games and our athletes. Purchasing official merchandise contributes to the financial success of the Games and helps provide our athletes with the resources they need to reach the podium in 2010."

He confirms that Olympic Games-themed shops will be located in all HBC stores across Canada, such as the Bay and Zellers, beginning "this winter." HBC officials had earlier said the store sections would first make an appearance this summer, and grow into separated components by November to take advantage of the Christmas consumer buying season. In addition, a separate Vancouver 2010 licensing program to supply retail outlets such as souvenir, gift and specialty stores throughout Canada, is underway. Corea says that retailers approved by VANOC will have official Vancouver 2010 merchandise available starting in January.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 30, 2005

Friday, May 27, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1028
FURLONG TELLS OLYMPIC TRUCE MEETING ABOUT PRELIMINARY PLANNING FOR PEACE TRAIN, TORCH AND ABORIGINAL RECONCILIATION

The CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has told a formal International Olympic Committee meeting in Greece that he intends to use the Games in several ways to promote international peace.

Some of them involve, so far, a peace train, the Olympic torch relay, aboriginal communities and Quebec. And, John Furlong added, "This is just an overview of some of the early thinking as VANOC strives to frame together the elements of an effective program at home and abroad for the Olympic Truce. We have time on our side to foster the partnerships required to develop an ambitious plan for Canada and the world."

John Furlong spoke in a presentation to the three-day Olympic Truce session sponsored by the IOC at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia that ended today. He addressed representatives from 22 national Olympic committees from countries that are in conflict or have recently been involved in wars, who were invited to participate along with representatives from the United Nations and the World Bank. The meeting was called to debate "the relevance of sport to peace, conflict prevention and resolution, post-conflict reconstruction and national dialogue."

Furlong told the group, "Our goal is to bring together the largest ever gathering of countries for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Through our international reach and influence, we will explore ways to promote sport, culture, friendship and peace through the framework of hosting these great countries of the world at the 2010 Winter Games. In that same spirit of the Olympic Truce which promotes tolerance, equity, fair play and peace, we will work with our partners to promote the powerful values of sport and of peaceful participation. We have two particularly uniquely Canadian opportunities to do this -- with our First Nations and by promoting our two official languages."

Furlong says "We are working with aboriginal communities across Canada to ensure full sport and cultural participation leading up to and during the Games. The four Host First Nations of the Games... are working together for the first time, and are already enjoying the benefits and are seeking ongoing lasting legacies. These First Nations communities have come together in a true spirit of Olympism to contribute to the success of our Games planning efforts... their vision of a sustainable future is our vision too. In addition, VANOC is today working with its partners in the Province of Quebec and other regions of the country to celebrate both of Canada's official languages and to capitalize on the Games as an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable and unique linguistic duality of Canada - English and French."

He also says that VANOC is thinking about using CP Rail's system to market the Games -- and the idea of peace at the same time. "We envision a unique and compelling concept - a peace train travelling across the country - on railway lines that track just above the world's longest undefended border - showcasing and celebrating - the values of peace, solidarity, fair play and profiling the cultural diversity of Canada. A peace train could be a symbolic but powerful way to showcase the values of peaceful sport and unity among people. And as the peace train travels across our vast nation, we will take the opportunity to inspire Canadians, to touch the soul of the nation and celebrate our remarkable differences."

And, he said, the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, which will be travelling more than 20,000 kilometres "from the northernmost part of the Arctic to all parts of the country from coast to coast," will "carry a timeless message of peace and harmony through the power of sport."

Representatives from the organizing committees from the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Olympic Games made similar presentations on their Olympic Truce programs and activities.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 27, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1027

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Samsung's Olympic Torch marketing approach differs in New Zealand

In a May 24 Moguls, we mentioned that Samsung was using a contest format to select Canadian torchbearers for the 2006 Winter Olympic Relay as a way of beginning the promotion for its involvement in the 2010 Winter Olympics. In New Zealand, the company is going about it differently. First, it's not concerned with 2010 involvement. Second, 20 metric tonnes of snow will be dumped in Auckland's Viaduct Basin this Saturday to mark the launch of a nationwide search to find five kiwi torchbearers to fly to Italy and take part in the Winter Olympic Torch Relay. The white stuff will be used to build a snow slide four metres high by 25 metres long, and there will also be various types of professional entertainment and ice sculpting, as well as New Zealand Olympic athletes on hand for encouragement and for demonstrating their sports on the snow slide. The winter athletes will also be on site to talk about their sport and encourage nominations for the torch relay. Those who want to apply for the five positions have to fill out an application at Samsung New Zealand's website, and include a 100-word essay (twice the length required of Canadian applicants) on why they should be chosen. The relay begins in Rome on the 8 December 2005, arriving in Torino for the start of the Olympic Winter Games on 10 February 2006.

Gardiner hired to executive of Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee has hired Alex Gardiner of Winnipeg, Manitoba, as Director of International Performance. As part of his duties, he will work with COC staff to help the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) with its plans for the development of legacies for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Gardiner, who has more than 30 years sports experience, was the head coach and Chief Technical Officer with Athletics Canada. He will be based in Winnipeg and report to the COC's Executive Director of Sport, Mark Lowry, starting September 1. Gardiner says, "I've always been attracted to challenges and especially to challenges of this scope. The COC has evolved dramatically over the past few years. New programs developed to help our elite athletes reach the podium in international competition are having an impact and I'm excited to be part of the team." His new position allows him to deal with the overall strategy for each of the national sport federations as they build high-performance sport in Canada. He'll also provide direct assistance and technical support to them, work on improving professional aspects of coaching, provide technical analysis of Canadian performance preparation, and be responsible for researching other countries' technical planning and innovation for Olympic Games.

VISA USA goes big - VISA Canada... doesn't
From the Maybe Next Year Department: VISA USA has launched its hard-sell marketing to connect it as one of the major international sponsors of the 2006 Torino Olympics, which is less than a year away, with a major New York news conference. There was a fair number of top-drawer, medal-winning, American winter Olympians at the function, including 16 that will be direct recipients of its financial support. VISA Canada? Not so much. We asked VISA Canada PR department's Mia Valasquez about Canada's Torino launch. Her reply, "We do have some plans in the works to launch the Visa Canada Olympic program - but these aren't firm yet."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 27, 2005

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1026

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Is parody of Ilannaq illegal? asks cultural newspaper

A Vancouver cultural newspaper, the Georgia Straight, has run an article wondering aloud if the extensive and aggressive trademarking of 2010-related logos and slogans by the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) might stifle legitimate artistic parodies and criticism of the Games. It notes that within days of Ilannaq, the 2010 Games logo, being unveiled, it had received three parodies of the artwork, including a Pak-man, a goalie and the character Terrence from the cartoon TV series, South Park. As the article's author, Pieta Wooley puts it, they "did their jobs as artists: they parodied a cultural symbol to encourage viewers to reconsider its meaning. It sounds innocuous, but in fact, it may be illegal." The author notes that the organizers of the Australian Summer Olympics in 2000 took an artist to court for distributing T-shirts with a drawing on it that suggested the Olympic Rings as eggs in a cage, and was using it to raise funds for an animal-rights organization. The shirts were confiscated. Adds Wooley, "Canada is not Australia, so the judgment isn't a precedent in this country. However, a duplicate case has not been tried in Canada. We don't know how protest art -- or any other kind of art that reflects the Olympic brand -- would be viewed by our courts. As fair comment? Or worthy of a fine and seizure of materials?"

Alpine Canada says upcoming team to start 2010 Paralympic development
Alpine Canada today named 18 athletes and two guides to represent the Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team for this year's racing season, and it says the delegation will be, "striving to acquire valuable experience in preparation for the 2010 Games, stage of the first Paralympics ever presented in Canada." Leslie Clark, head coach for the Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team, says, "Our program is highly competitive at the World Cup stage. But ultimately, the measure of our success will be tested at the Paralympics. By striving to increase the human, technical, and financial resources made available to our athletes, we will be in an optimal position to strengthen our program in the spirit of the increasingly competitive Paralympics." The team will be led by headed by last season's World Cup super G overall champion, blind skier Chris Williamson.

Italian Winter Games launch kids' website
Kidsvillage, which calls itself "a virtual Olympic Village for young people," is the name of the Internet site launched by the Education Department of the Torino Olympic Games Organizing Committee. The idea is to market 2006 the Olympic Winter Games to school-age children and their teachers from kindergarten to high school. The site is in in three languages - Italian, French and English. At the site, students and teachers can test themselves as Olympic Games athletes by taking part in various challenges and games on the site. The site focuses on five themes: sports culture, the environment, technology, inter-cultural affairs and health education.

RESOURCES

Alpine Canada's list of the Men's and Women's senior teams and development staff for the upcoming season:
http://www.canski.org/e/html/news/e_newsdetail.asp?articleTypeID=1&articleID=1733

TOROC's website for children:
http://www.kidsvillage.torino2006.it

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 26, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1025
PROVINCE LOOKING FOR CONSULTANTS TO PLAN EVENTS, OPERATE AND DESIGN BC-CANADA HOUSE EXHIBITS AT TORINO OLYMPICS

The BC Government's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat plans to use its BC-Canada House at Italy's 2006 Winter Games to showcase the province and the country, "with an exhibition so innovative and so stunning that visitors to Torino will be motivated to visit it," according to government documents.

The idea of the House is to use it as a base from which to market B.C. and Canada's 2010 Winter Olympics to the hordes of visitors, primarily Europeans, expected to attend the 2006 Games which start next February. Generally, the government hopes it will look like a warm, inviting, winter resort. The three main objectives: pitch tourism, business and the Olympics.

And the department that oversees the Secretariat, the BC Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development, has issued a flurry of calls to various types of BC firms to do design work for the exhibition space in the building -- which doesn't yet exist -- as well as event management and operational planning for BC House itself.

Contracts are to be awarded in June and July for the work; the planning phases will take place starting this summer, with implementation taking place during the fall, winter and next spring.

BC-Canada Torino House is to be in operation only from January 3 to March 31 next year. "The BC-Canada House will showcase British Columbia and Canada, host Canadian athletes, dignitaries, businesses and media, and be open to the general public." It will have a room for receptions and functions for up to 25 people, along with smaller meeting and reception spaces, office space, a lounge, a kitchen and at least two bathrooms.

It is to be built in B.C. "using the finest British Columbia building materials," dismantled and shipped to a lot in downtown Torino donated by that city's government, where it is to be reassembled by December 15. At that point, according to proposal documentation prepared by the manager of Commercial Services for the Ministry, Benjamin Chua, the government wants to create "an environment to showcase the newest and most advanced British Columbia and Canadian technologies."

According to Chua's documentation, "The House in Torino is an opportunity to showcase the internationally recognized positive attributes of BC and Canada, while at the same time introducing and emphasizing lesser-known attributes: our cosmopolitan culture, our wealth of business opportunities, our unique geographical positioning and our wide array of tourism experiences. We envision something that will inspire visitors of the House to want to visit Canada and British Columbia as tourists, and to motivate business investment and stimulate trade. This exhibition should showcase BC and Canada in ways that stimulate new relationships with foreign media and provides a unique conduit to tell our stories."

Companies apply for the various contracts are to first be shortlisted, and then given briefing on the project and plans for it.

Chua's documentation says that, "The 2006-2010 Olympic connection is an opportunity to present the diversity of British Columbia and Canadian business, art, culture and sport to the world. After the 2006 Games are complete, the world will focus on British Columbia as the next host. As a result, the 2006 Games are an invaluable occasion for British Columbia to leverage knowledge about Canadian and British Columbia products and services, to increase international trade and investment, to raise awareness of tourism and culture, and to build awareness of British Columbia as host of the 2010 games."

And, the idea is to also do some business while this is all going on. Two of the main goals of the project are to encourage links and partnerships between European and Canadian businesses and "to position British Columbia and Canada as a location to visit and invest from both a business and tourism perspective."

In the case of the exhibition-design contract, the government is looking for "firms with the capability, creativity, skill and experience to design the BC-Canada House exhibition space for high profile events." In addition, they want the successful firm to create "storylines that reflect the breadth and scope of what BC and Canada offer to visitors, investors and businesses. From high-tech to culture, arts and music, we want the world to learn more about us, and to create curiosity and excitement about Canada in all visitors to the House. The design project should be innovative and provide visitors with an experience that places them inside British Columbia or inside Canada and is so sensory they actually feel like they've been here."

In the case of the operations-planning contract, the government wants to spend up to C$20,000 to develop the necessary staffing, job descriptions, training and hours of operation. The operations planning is also to include setting up temporary facilities and office space while the building is being built, with planning right through to the wind-up and restoration of the site. An implementation segment, with its own budget, will be developed and contracted later.

In the case of the event-management contract, worth initially C$75,000, the government was to create, "a programming plan and organizational calendar for the House, which will specify month-to-month, week-to-week and day-to-day themes and activities. The calendar will incorporate the themes of programming for the House, reflect specific sectorial goals and incorporate key milestones, anchor events, hospitality events and activities associated with BC and Canada's participation in the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games." There is to be some aboriginal involvement as well. The winning company will have just six weeks from receiving the contract, until July 30, to come with the final draft of that first phase.

In the second phase, the government wants the event-management firm to develop, "A strategy and schedule for negotiating agreements with potential stakeholders and agencies, which would outline roles and responsibilities [for] particular activities and events taking place at the House. The Province anticipates that industry associations and other organizations will bring in portable displays and display materials. Creating and shipping displays and display material to the House would be the responsibility of those organizations, but the plan should anticipate the need to coordinate these activities."

An implementation segment, with its own budget, will be developed and contracted later.

The events and activities are to focus on Canadian and B.C. tourism; specific weeks that focus on tourism, forestry, high technology, agri-foods; a school-based program "that engages Torino-area schools and links them to schools in BC;" targeted trade and investment missions and meetings to link BC and European businesses; Olympic or Paralympic launch parties; athlete recognition, Olympic and Paralympic meetings, presentations, receptions for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), the Canadian Olympic Committee as well as the BC government; various live performances and visual and musical arts programming.

As well, the government wants to use the House as a location for working media to get information about BC and Canada, particularly the 2010 Winter Games. And they want to set up a "robust and leading-edge website to support a marketing plan for the House."

All of the firms winning the contracts will also have to deal with a few interesting challenges, besides doing all of the prepatory work in six months. They'll also have to deal with the building site's location, dealing with language issues, Italian rules and regulations, various shipping and transportation logistics and forming necessary partnerships with Italian companies and suppliers, all the while having a preference for BC suppliers and sub-contractors.

BACKGROUND
BC-Canada House is to be built atop an underground parking lot on the Piazza Valdo Fusi in the City of Torino. The location is bordered by via Giolitti, via S. Francesco da Paola, via Cavour and via Accademia Albertina. There is an existing 4,000-square-foot building on the site, which houses a parking-ticket purchase station and provides access to the underground parking beneath the Piazza. The City of Torino says that about 2,500 square feet of the existing building - a glassed-in area with a 2.5-storey ceiling - can also be used for the operation of the House.

RESOURCES

For the exhibition-space design contract, the operations-planning contract applications go to:

Benjamin Chua
Manager, Commercial Services
BC Ministry of Small Business & Economic Development
Strategic Acquisitions and Technology Procurement Branch
548 Michigan Street, Suite 102.
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1S3
pcadmin@gems2.gov.bc.ca

Prospective firms for the event-management contract have until June 8 to submit applications; only three companies will be shortlisted. The award is to be given by June 16.
Prospective firms for the operational-planning contract have until June 8 to submit applications; only three companies will be shortlisted. The award is to be given by June 15.
Prospective firms for exhibition design have until June 13 to submit applications; only three companies will be shortlisted. The award is to be given by July 15.

--

The BC Government's Olympic Secretariat website:
http://www.sbed.gov.bc.ca/2010secretariat

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 26, 2005

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1024

Here are three more moguls we ran into today:

Samsung starts Olympic marketing in Canada with contest

Samsung Electronics, one of the on-going international sponsors of the Olympics, is working on a promotional contest to publicize its involvement with the 2006 Winter Olympics. The promotion, to be run by its Canadian division this summer, will have a Vancouver connection, to begin the process of connecting the company with the 2010 Games. Called "Race for the Torch", it proposes to have "50 adventurous teams" race through five Canadian cities, including Vancouver, completing challenges and looking for clues based on their knowledge of the cities. The five, one team from each city, who do the best job of this will travel to Italy in December to help carry the Olympic Torch as it heads for the Torino Winter Games in February. To qualify, prospective teams must fill out an application form at Samsung's website, including a 50-word note, "explaining how their team best reflects the Olympic ideals of tolerance, equality, fair play and peace. A panel of judges including former and future Olympians will evaluate the entries and select 10 teams per city to compete for the honour of bearing the torch." Registration closes on June 9th for Toronto, June 13th for Vancouver and Calgary, and June 14th for Montreal and Halifax. The dates the teams will race through the city: June 20 in Vancouver and Calgary, June 16 in Toronto, and June 21 in Halifax and Montreal.

2010-related tourism expected to help fuel Vancouver real estate
Katherine Martella of Vancouver's Intertech Construction Group suggests that the advent of 2010 Olympics-based tourism will continue to help fuel the city's economic growth in real estate for some considerable time to come. "One may ask, 'How much growth is too much? Will Vancouver become a victim of its own success?' With no signs of slowing down, and [condo] projects selling out before they are out of the excavation stages, Vancouver's growth is projected to continue into the unforeseen future. The 2010 Olympics are approaching and Vancouver's reputation as one of the world's best places to live remains strong, attracting more visitors, and potentially more residents to the city. This prospect is an exciting one, as Vancouver residents of today anticipate worldwide recognition for an area we have been proud of for generations."

PGA move "cutthroat business", not 2010 related
A Wisconsin sports columnist discussing the PGA's golf-tournament aspirations for the U.S. State says the reason the PGA of America locked up Whistling Straits with a long-term contract after moving a 2010 tournament from Washington State had nothing to do with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, even though it was given at the time as the major rationale. Instead, he says, it had to do with Herbert V. Kohler Jr., president and CEO of Kohler Co. Gary D'Amato writes, "PGA officials said they were concerned about a conflict with the 2010 Winter Olympics.... The real reason was that the USGA was about to give Kohler the 2012 U.S. Open and the PGA had to act fast. It was simply a cut-throat business decision."

RESOURCES

Samsung's Canadian website:
http://www.samsung.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1023

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Push for second highway to Whistler area renewed

Now that the B.C. government's provincial election is over, the Fraser Valley communities east of Vancouver are pushing again for the provincial government to build a new highway as an alternate route to Pemberton, just north of Whistler, in time for the 2010 Olympics. The idea is to provide an alternate route to the Olympics, in case a landslide or similar major disruption to the existing Sea-to-Sky highway occurs around the time of the Games. The new two-lane 160-kilometre highway, nicknamed "The Sasquatch Trail" after a mythical beast of the area, would cost C$275 million to build and pave by upgrading a rough but existing forest-service road along the west side of Harrison Lake and along the Lillooet River valley, but would only generate C$120 million in economic activity, according to a study last year which recommended against proceeding with it. The BC government minister in charge of the provincial aspects of the 2010 Games, John Les, says he's in favour of the route but nothing could get going until a new cabinet is established, in the next couple of weeks. "If this could be in place before the Olympics, that would be great, but I'm not optimistic," Les says. "But, long term, it doesn't need the Olympics for justification." Two consultants, Bruce Rozenhart of Richmond and Gayle Bukowsky, are working with the local aboriginal group, which is also in favour of the highway, to discuss the concept with business. Both were last involved in pushing for the Vancouver-Richmond-Airport rapid transit line.

Workshops established to help BC artists write grants proposals for 2010 funding
ArtsNow, a division of 2010 LegaciesNow, has set up a workshop series on grant writing for artists and arts administrators, and is taking the series to various communities around British Columbia. "Securing a piece of the funding for the arts in the lead up to the 2010 Winter and Paralympic Games - and beyond - starts with knowing how to effectively assess and communicate your organization's needs," says Lori Baxter, the Director of ArtsNow. The topics of the workshop include grant writing for all levels of government, for councils and organizations that are at arm's length from government -- such as arts councils -- how to write effective support material, project statements and budgets, and how to build capacity. The three-hour workshops, which are free, will be taking place in Nelson, Osoyoos, Williams Lake, Quesnel and Vanderhoof between Thursday and June 1. The next application deadline for ArtsNow grants is June 15; the next one is not until next January.

IPC adds royalty to a new board
The International Paralympic Committee has set up what it calls an Honorary Board, and its first member is Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. IPC president Phil Craven says from his headquarters in Bonn, Germany, "The main purpose of the IPC Honorary Board is to allow leaders of society an opportunity to support the vision of the Paralympic Movement and to strive to maintain the issue of sport for persons with a disability high on the agenda of the global community." And, he adds, Honorary Board Members are also expected to help the IPC in creating opportunities for raising awareness and funding, through the member's "network of contacts and sphere of influence."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Business, Paralympic| #1022
HBC REACHES C$2 MILLION, EIGHT-YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE

The president of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) told shareholders at its 336th Annual General Meeting today that it will design the Paralympic team uniforms, in addition to the Canadian Olympic Team uniforms, for the next eight years, including those attending the 2010 Winter Games.

"HBC is thrilled to be an official sponsor for our Canadian Paralympic Teams," said George Heller, who is also the company's chief executive officer. "As the official uniform designer and supplier for Canadian Paralympic teams, this announcement means all of our Canadian athletes -- Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth -- will be consistently showcased on the world stage. Our talented team of designers and product developers are already hard at work creating the Paralympic team uniforms for the 2006 Games in Torino."

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee reached an eight-year sponsorship deal in March with the Hudson's Bay Company in a deal valued by VANOC at more than C$100 million for a wide range of activities, including design of the Olympic team uniforms during that period.

Highlights of the eight-year, C$2 million partnership on the Paralympic side:

HBC is to design and supply the Canadian Paralympic Teams uniforms for the 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 Paralympic Games, and the 2007 and 2011 Para Pan-American Games;
HBC will develop exclusive Canadian Paralympic Team retail merchandise that will only be available at "HBC Olympic Theme Shops", which are to be located at all Bay, Zellers, Home Outfitters and Designer Depot stores. It's expected by observers that the merchandise may start appearing as early as June, with the Olympic sections of the stores in full operation by November; and
HBC will conduct fundraising activities in support of Paralympic teams.

Brian MacPherson, the Canadian Paralympic Committee's chief operating officer, says, "CPC is proud that HBC joins an exclusive group of premier Canadian companies as an Official Paralympic Team sponsor. By partnering with CPC and the Paralympic movement, HBC will experience a rise in their corporate and social value."

HBC says it has so far contribution more than C$1.7 million dollars to Canada's athletes through deals with the Commonwealth Games and through supplying the uniforms for Canada's Olympic teams competing in the 1936, 1960, 1964, 1968 winter Games.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1021
VANCOUVER MAYOR SAYS CONFIDENCE IN VANOC MANAGEMENT ALLOWS HIM A HANDS-OFF APPROACH

Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell says he is so confident in the management of the 2010 Winter Games that he feels no reason to be involved in their overview or day-to-day affairs.

Campbell, who is expected to run for re-election in this November's municipal elections, says he leaves all of the detail work up to his city manager, Judy Rogers, who is also on the VANOC Board of Directors.

And Campbell also notes that his hands-off situation is unusual. The mayors of other Olympic venue cities, he says, usually had to be deeply involved. He notes that even though the city of Lillehammer, Norway, produced what he considers the best Winter Olympics ever, and that it will be hard to match it, those Games "consumed their mayor." That's simply not the situation he faces. "I actually have very little to do with them."

Campbell adds, "The team that [Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee CEO] John Furlong has is simply the best. And Furlong inspires his people to bring out the best in them. I have tremendous confidence in him and them." Campbell says VANOC's staff also go out of their way to ensure that if the City has a problem with an aspect of the Games, there's a meeting of the necessary people involved and a solution is reached, "that we can all live with."

And, says Campbell, any time he needs a specific question answered, the structure VANOC has set up allows him to call and get an answer quickly. Besides Rogers, the City of Vancouver also appointed Dave Rudberg as its general manager for Olympic Preparations last December. Rudberg had been Vancouver's General Manager of Engineering for 13 years.

Campbell also says the city will continue to let VANOC and the RCMP decide where security buffer zones should be placed; the zone boundaries in the area of the Athlete's Village is affecting the development plans of surrounding businesses.

And, he says, even though the City has missed several deadlines connected with the development of the Vancouver Athletes Village lands, there's no question in his mind that the site will be ready when required. "I can guarantee it will be ready," he says. Detailed planning of the site is still underway; it was supposed to have been finished last fall under original scheduling.

Campbell also says that Vancouver councillor Jim Green, Campbell's major supporter at City Council, has just returned from a visit to see the city of Torino's preparations for the 2006 Winter Olympics next February. Campbell says that what intrigues him from Green's report on the visit is Torino's decision to emphasize the overall cultural aspects of the city, and let TOROC, the Torino Olympics Organizing Committee, deal with marketing the Games.

Campbell also says that Vancouver councillor Jim Green, Campbell's major supporter at City Council, has just returned from a visit to see the city of Torino's preparations for the 2006 Winter Olympics next February. Campbell says that what intrigues him from Green's report on the visit is Torino's decision to emphasize the overall cultural aspects of the city, and let TOROC, the Torino Olympics Organizing Committee, deal with marketing the Games.

RESOURCES

The City of Vancouver's website section that deals with various aspects of the 2010 Games:
http://vancouver.ca/olympics/index.htm

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1020
VANCOUVER MAYOR NOT IN FAVOUR OF SPECIAL CULTURAL FUNDING FOR 2010 FESTIVALS, EVENTS

Mayor Larry Campbell says he doesn't think the City of Vancouver needs to set up a significant fund, such as Richmond and Whistler are doing, to help pay for festivals and events during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Campbell says he doesn't think such a fund is necessary, even though the programs envisioned by Richmond and Whistler would need at least C$1 million each.

Campbell says, "It's more important to get community festivals, such as the Greek festival and the [Italian] festival on Commercial Drive, going again."

Campbell literally rolled his eyes when told Richmond was considering the idea of funding its programs by taking C$250,000 out of "available surpluses" each year, starting this year and continuing until 2008. It would then begin spending the money to support various Richmond-based events in 2009 and 2010.

"An 'available surplus' is an oxymoron," says Campbell, adding, "We prefer to work our budget numbers as close as possible" to a break-even ever year. Campbell acknowledged, however, that the situations in Richmond and Whistler were different from those in Vancouver.

He noted that Vancouver would be hosting the International Ice Hockey Federation's Junior World Cup championships this December, and that there would be other events every year between now and 2010 that Vancouver would be able to tie or relate to the 2010 Games. As well, he said, Vancouver would be hosting a number of the venues, from short-track speed skating to hockey, and that hockey, in particular would be played from one side of Vancouver, starting with new venues at the University of British Columbia on the west side of the City, to tournaments played at GM Place in the centre of the city and in the Coliseum on the east side, and that all of those locations were either being built or refurbished with funds from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee's capital funds.

The Liberal member of Parliament who represents the riding in the downtown core of Vancouver, Dr. Hedy Fry, agrees that's the mayor's approach is the correct one for Vancouver.

She says that the city ought to be focused on increasing its cultural tourism by marketing the type of on-going events in the City, to go along with the growth in eco-tourism that's province-wide, and not focus on what she calls "the one shot" of the 2010 Games. She says that approach gives tourists visiting the region for the 2010 Games the confidence that they could return "in 2014 and beyond", and still experience the city as they did while they were here in 2010.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1019
FURLONG MOVES TO DEFEND LOGO AMIDST REPORTS IT’S SLOWLY BECOMING LESS POPULAR

The CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), John Furlong, today issued a 1,031-word defence of the organization's controversial logo, saying it may be "the perfect symbol for Canada and the dream of staging Games that might leave the world a better place to be."

Furlong, in an open letter to news media, brushed aside criticisms about the lack of a west-coast theme to the design, or imagery, and said the choice of what he called "a smiling, stylized inukshuk" was supposed to be national and that equivalent statues are found in impromptu areas all across Canada. "The 2010 Games belong to all Canadians. The emblem must therefore represent us all."

VANOC Communications vice-president Renee Smith-Valade says, "The article came about when John advised that he was keen to clarify some of the controversy that had been in the media over the emblem, how it was chosen and what it stands for."

Furlong's comments were set against a backdrop where the Mustel Group of Vancouver reported in a survey earlier this month that B.C. public support for the logo has fallen since its introduction last month from 58% to 49%, and those who dislike it has increased from 24% to 39%. However, market penetration has strongly increased, the survey reported, and 73% of residents had seen the logo in the weeks following its introduction. As well, there have been a couple of articles written by Canadian Press quoting aboriginal leaders and others who were critical of the design. The articles were widely distributed nationally and internationally.

Furlong, from his vantage point, agrees that reaction was swift and strong following the April launch of the logo, nicknamed Ilanaaq, on national television during an hour-long performance at GM Place in Vancouver. "To no one's surprise, the debate over Ilanaaq was swift and vigorous. After all, this is art. Questions were asked such as 'Do you like it?', 'Why no maple leaf?', 'Why not a West Coast image?' and 'What were you possibly thinking?'. We were flooded with messages from all over the world, most of them complimentary, but some not. They included letters of complaint and of congratulations. There was even a protest or two to the IOC and demands that we start over. Cartoonists were in heaven."

But, he says, that's a normal reaction to an Olympic Games emblem, and it means VANOC is on the right track. "Interestingly, the emblems of many past games, even the beloved games of Lillehammer, started out the same way. While we at Vancouver 2010 would have preferred that all Canadians had celebrated and cheered this colourful arrival, by virtue of the strong public reaction, Ilanaaq is now known to almost all of us. If history repeats itself, by 2010 we will have a genuine legend on our hands."

Furlong used part of his essay to go back over the genesis of the logo-selection process, including a judging panel and contest, although he chose not to mention the Canadian graphic-design industry's opposition based on the ethics of holding a contest for the logo, nor about the scientific debate that it's not really an inukshuk; rather, it's actually an inunnguaq. But, he said, "The final decision was taken honourably. Nine talented people selected Ilanaaq. No favouritism. No interference. This was the process we chose. It was well-known. We guaranteed fairness."

Furlong added that it was also necessary the emblem represent Canadian virtues, "This smiling, stylized inukshuk reminds us of our own spirit, the humility of the Canadian character, our capacity to succeed against tough odds, our timeless tradition for endurance and teamwork, our generous spirit for giving, our steadfast belief in equality for everyone and a constant reminder that to be here is to be safe."

Furlong said that dozens of the 1,600 entries VANOC received from Canadian designers during the contest were also based on an inukshuk design. "Is it therefore possible we have underestimated the capacity of this mark to represent us in places we will never go?" he asks, rhetorically. "This formidable sentinel may surprise us all. One thing is certain: Ilanaaq has us all talking."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 25, 2005

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1018
RICHMOND PONDERS WHETHER TO SET UP C$1 MILLION OLYMPIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Richmond City Council is to debate tomorrow night a motion that the city, which is building the 2010 Olympics long-track speed-skating oval as part of a huge sports complex, set up the start of a C$1 million Olympic Opportunities Fund.

The idea, recommended by City staff, is to follow the example of other Olympic venue cities in the last decade or so and establish a sinking fund that would take C$250,000 per year, starting this year and ending in 2008, out of "available surpluses" in the Richmond budget. The money would be put in a fund that would be used to pay for "celebrations, festivals, special events and other community events" leading up to and surrounding the timing of the 2010 Winter Games.

From February 12 to the 28 in 2010, Richmond planners say the area "will celebrate the Games with festivities for athletes, visitors, media and local residents. Celebrations will occur at the Olympic Oval, Olympic Plaza, Waterfront Park and throughout the City. These activities will be sponsored and organized with various community partners, agencies and the City of Richmond itself." Planners point to the kinds of things that were done by Salt Lake City at Park City's Main Street Celebrations in the 2002 Winter Olympics; Lillehammer's Main Street; Albertville's Villages of the Savoie; Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park; Nagano's Alpine Village at Hakuba; and Sydney's Live Sites at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

The concept could get a rough ride politically, because of the amount of funding and city energy already going into the multiplex project, with residents worried about how much the city is taking on with the project and the potential effect on taxes, and with the possibility of the city building a separate trade and convention centre during the next few years.

A council subcommittee, the General Purposes Committee met last week to discuss the idea, and grudgingly accepted the necessity of setting up such a fund, but stopped short of making recommendations on where the money for might originate, suggesting instead that council include it in the city's annual budgeting process.

The Committee accepted planners' reports that setting up the Fund would provide significant economic return through tourism, "By hosting celebrations in our community, the City can capitalize on the Olympic opportunity to create economic spin-offs, heighten community spirit, build community pride and increase regional, national and international awareness of Richmond. As well, these celebrations will bring a tremendous opportunity for community partners and volunteers to work together and show the true community spirit of Richmond. Not only will our community receive a world-class Oval facility, experience economic growth and increased tourism, the community will participate in numerous activities celebrating sports, arts and culture and gain a sense of being part of the Olympic family. Visitors from far and wide will celebrate with the community and will take memories back to their home country of their experiences in this City."

However, the Committee was quite worried about taxpayer backlash, and the fact that the planners were proposing to spend money from surpluses that weren't assured.

The Richmond Spirit of BC Community Committee, which was set up last year and appointed by Richmond council, has formed three sub-committees to deal with volunteers, events & festivals and communications. They are now working with Richmond staff on strategies to co-ordinate, organize and implement events and activities in the period leading up to and during the Games.

Planners say the Fund, which could be used to attract funding from other sources, could also be used to provide matching funding and other work with 2010 LegaciesNow, the organization that provides grants for various 2010-related sports and cultural activities and events.

BACKGROUND

There are several examples of how venue communities connected with 2010 and with previous Winter Games are dealing with the festival concept that accompanies Olympic Games.

The City of Vancouver knows its important to have funds set aside for events, festivals and activities around Vancouver but it has not yet established an Olympic Opportunity Fund. Currently, Vancouver city staff are said to be "exploring different options" for creating such a fund and figure out, in conjunction with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), what will be needed for the period leading up to and during the Games.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler has created three funds for initiatives and events for their municipality connected with the 2010 Winter Games preparations. Each year, contributions are made to each fund. They would be used for specific events and activities. The Events Fund is to be used on various mountain locations that are co-sponsored by companies which contribute C$265,000 annually to the fund. The "Initiatives and Festivals Fund" is to be used for festivals and activities in and around Whistler Village with C$400,000 contributed in 2005. The "Village Improvement Fund" will be used to ensure the Village is in "pristine condition just prior to the Games". It started with a contribution of C$150,000 annually, but that's to rise to C$300,000 annually this year.
Park City, Utah, was a venue city for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and host to the Alpine events. Park City estimates 75% of their visitors attended celebrations hosted by it during the Games. Some visitors could not attend actual Olympic competition events themselves, but liked the idea of taking part in the Olympic experience by attending the celebrations. Those that attended liked them; they rated the entertainment, displays and exhibits as 4 and 5 out of 5.

Some of the events and activities held during the 2002 Games included the Olympic Torch Relay, the live stage entertainment, food areas, huge video boards broadcasting live Olympic events, the Olympic Arts Festival, and a nightly fireworks display.

The so-called "Main Street Celebrations" were free to the public and were well attended. Park City representatives told Richmond that the atmosphere created by the Park City during the 2002 Games helped increase visitor awareness of the area as a resort destination, and as a place to return to in future years.

Park City spent approximately US$1.5 million on its; that's about US$80,OOO per day during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. These celebrations were jointly supported by the Park City taxpayers, the local chamber of commerce, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and corporate sponsors.

According to city officials and organizers, the key to the success of the celebrations was to have funds readily available and dedicated specifically to celebrations for the entire two-week period.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 24, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |IOC| #1017
Own the Podium PROGRAM ACHIEVES FIRST SUCCESSFUL STEP

Canada has taken the first step on its Own the Podium path to the 2010 Winter Games, according to statistics from the Canadian Olympic Committee.

With the silver medal that Team Canada won at the International Ice Hockey Federations' Men's Ice Hockey World Championship last week, Canada accumulated a total of 28 medals (10 gold, 10 silver, eight bronze) at 2005 World Championship events.

The first of several goals of the Own the Podium plan, supported by the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), is for Canada to be one of the top three nations at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy next February. The statistics show it's closing in on that goal.

VANOC and the COC are both encouraging corporations to help with the fundraising for the COC's Own the Podium program, which is expected to cost C$120 million by the time 2010's Games are held. The idea behind the program is to funnel funding towards specific winter sports where Canada is known to do well, and improve training, coaching, equipment and performances, so that Canada will be the top medal country at the 2010 Games. The federal and BC governments have said they'll contribute half the budgeted funding.

Canada's current medal collection is 10 more than in the 2001 World Championship year. That year was the one in advance of the last Olympic Winter Games, which were held in Salt Lake City in 2002.

With this year's increase, Canada improved its ranking in total World Championship medals from fifth in 2001 to third in 2005. Only Norway, with 33, and Germany, with 32 medals, were ahead.

The USA team was fourth with 25 while Russia finished in fifth with 20.

Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) chief executive officer Chris Rudge says that, "with these results we are optimistic of achieving our goal of a top three finish at the Olympic Games this February."

Canada also improved in top-five World Championship performances from Canadian athletes this pre-Olympic year. In 2001, Canada was in sixth place with 27 top-five World Championship finishes. In 2005, the country was in fourth place, with 41 top-five World Championship finishes.

Mark Lowry, the COC's Executive Director of Sport, says the next test begins this fall, with the start of the next World Cup season in October 2005. The abbreviated season, because of the Torino Winter Olympics, ends in January. "It will provide the next strongest indicator for forecasting our medal success at the Olympic Winter Games in Torino," said Lowry.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 24, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1016

Here are three more moguls we ran into today:

Cellphone TV for 2010 Games expected

VANOC CEO Furlong to speak at RCMP ball

Whistler has alternative to Athletes Village landfill

Jan Innes, vice-president of Communications for Rogers Communications of Toronto, says that mobile TV -- that's the delivery of streaming video over cellphones -- will be a part of the 2010 Winter Games broadcasting. He says in Marketing Magazine, "It's early stages at this point, but we're certainly hoping you'll be able to watch some of the content that is happening on the West Coast on your cellphone." The Rogers Wireless customer base with phones that can deal with mobile TV is about 750,000 out of a 5.5 million universe, although that percentage is expected to grow considerably as the technology evolves between now and 2010. One puzzle still to be tested in detail is how advertising will be inserted into the stream; likely the ads will be in the five- to 10-second range. Rogers, with Bell Canada, won the Canadian broadcasting rights for the 2010 Games earlier this year.
The guest speaker at the Richmond RCMP Regimental Ball next Saturday will be John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC). The proceeds from the black-tie affair will go to Drug Abuse Resistance Education, an anti-drug program aimed at teaching elementary school children how to resist the temptation of drugs and violence. The ball will be held at the Ramada Inn Vancouver Airport.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Board of Directors has approved a request by Whistler that the resort municipality be allowed to transport 18,000 tonnes of garbage to the Cache Creek landfill, about 150 kilometres northeast Whistler. The general manager of Whistler's Public Works department, Brian Barnett, notes that the request was being made a bit sooner than strictly necessary because Whistler's landfill is adjacent to the land on which the 2010 Winter Olympics Athletes Village will be built, but that the area is was due to close in two years anyway. The agreement lasts until the Cache Creek landfill is replaced by the Ashcroft Ranch landfill in 2008. A B-train type of truck would travel to Cache Creek every other day. A number of Vancouver-area cities also ship garbage to the Cache Creek landfill.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 24, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1015

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Taylor touted for 2010 portfolio

Women's ski-jumping pushed for 2010

Stewart project director on 2010 Bid book

There's speculation in Victoria that BC Premier Gordon Campbell, when he rearranges his cabinet once the official results of the May 17 election are in, might make newly elected member of the B.C. Legislature, BC Liberal Carole Taylor, responsible for the BC government's portion of the 2010 Winter Olympics. That job is currently held by Minister of Small Business and Economic Development John Les, who was re-elected.
Keep an eye on whether women's ski jumping makes it into the schedule for the Worlds Cup Championship to be held in Sapporo, Japan, in 2007. If it does, it considerably increases the chances that women's ski jumping will be added to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. There is a strong, organized and passionate push to get the women's contest into the Vancouver and Whistler Games. It was an exhibition event at the 1995 Nordic World Championships in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It was also an exhibition in the 1999 Worlds in Ramsau, Austria. FIS, the International Ski Federation estimates the sport has about 100 members and has granted it Continental Cup status, and it was in the 2004 World Junior Championships in Stryn, Norway.
Winter 2010 Olympic Games trivia: The person who edited the Vancouver 2010 Bid Book, which you've likely seen but never read, was Susie Stewart, 34, of Vancouver. She's also edited bid books for the 2006 world junior hockey championship, which will be played in Vancouver in December, and the 2007 FIFA under-20 world cup soccer bid for Vancouver. Her official title on the 2010 Bid Book: Project Director. Her connection: she worked with Terry Wright when he was helping to organize Victoria's Commonwealth Games in the 1990s. Wright, now senior vice-president of Planning for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), was one of the organizers of the Bid.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 24, 2005

Friday, May 20, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1014

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Callaghan Valley tenders on ground-work packages close today;

Skate Canada to start 2010 route next March;

South Korea's Kim Un-yong resigns from IOC

The month-long extension to the deadline for tenders of a contract package for work on the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) Whistler Nordic Centre property in the Callaghan Valley closed today. Five Vancouver-area companies are vying for RFQ 2010-05 Package 2, which involves clearing and grubbing for roads and construction area, construction of some outbuildings, and various types of earthwork and erosion control. The firms are BEL Contracting of Burnaby, Emil Anderson Construction of Hope, JJM Construction of Delta, Western Versatile Construction of Langley and Westpro Constructors Group of Surrey.
Skate Canada says it will start its march to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games with the World Skating Championships that will run from next March 20 to 26 in Calgary. About 200 athletes from about 45 countries are expected for the International Skating Union championships. It notes that many of these will have attended the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Italy in the previous month. CEO Pam Coburn says it will be the start of "a new Olympic cycle." Ticket packages for all of the event range from C$395 to C$995 will go on sale June 1. Single-event tickets are not expected to be sold before November.
A former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, South Korean's Kim Un-yong, formerly one of the most powerful figures in the Olympic movement and who was among those overseeing Vancouver's win of the 2010 Winter Olympics, resigned from the organization today, bringing and end to the IOC's move to expel him for ethical misconduct. The IOC suspended Kim from his IOC positions in January 2004 after he was accused of embezzlement and bribery in South Korea. The country's Supreme Court upheld his two-year prison term last January, and the IOC began its expulsion procedures which were expected to have been finalized this summer. Kim's ambitions to extend his influence in the IOC were alleged to have cut into the popularity of South Korea's bid, which was initially in the lead, for the 2010 Games. Last January, Kim said his criminal case was prompted by South Korean politics over Pyeongchang, South Korea, narrowly losing to Vancouver in the final vote for the 2010 Winter Games.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 20, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1013
SPEED SKATING WORLDS MAY BE VANOC TEST EVENT IN 2009

Speed Skating Canada and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) have begun discussions with the International Skating Union about holding the 2009 Speed Skating World Championships in Vancouver, but the negotiations are expected to continue for a while yet.

It's expected that the Championships, if confirmed for B.C., would also be a test event for venues of VANOC.

VANOC personnel have said several times that they hope to host several major competitions as test events for their venues in the years leading up to the 2010 Games, but this is the first indication of a specific event being on the table.

Speed Skating Canada spokesman Roch Pilon notes that championships are awarded about three years prior the date of competition, "Therefore, the ISU will decide if Vancouver will be awarded the 2009 short track worlds in June of 2006."

VANOC vice-president of Communications, Renee Smith-Valade adds, "We are in discussions with all international sport federations regarding test events. As required in the Olympic charter, all of our venues will host a test event prior to the Games. The International Skating Union will designate an event for the Oval in Richmond; it is not yet confirmed which event. There will also be a short-track speed-skating event designated by the International Skating Union which will be in Vancouver."

VANOC plans to upgrade the Coliseum in eastern Vancouver to international standards for figure-skating and short-track speed-skating.

Smith-Valade adds that VANOC will announce decisions on which events will be the actual test events once they are confirmed.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 20, 2005

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1012

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

VANOC cultural budget reported up at C$96 million;

Williams Lake looking for C$300,000 from 2010 Live Sites program;

About a third of Toriino hockey tickets sold

Vancouver's weekly arts and culture newspaper, the Georgia Straight, wrote an article about 2010 cultural spending in today's issue of the publication, with some input from Burke Taylor, vice-president of Culture and Ceremonies for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC). According to the article, the budget for the Cultural Olympiad is now C$96 million. The article doesn't say so, but that's up somewhat from the Bid Book's estimate of C$84 million (in 2002 dollars). That money pays for cultural programs that lead up to and include the period of the 2010 Games. The programs include the Olympic torch relay, the education and youth programs promised in the Bid Book and the ceremonial opening and closing of the Games. Some of that has already been spent on the program that unveiled the 2010 logo, and more will be spent on a six-minute section of the 2006 Winter Olympics' closing ceremonies in Italy next February, when an estimated TV audience of three million will watch as the hand-over is made from the 2006 Games to the 2010 Games. That will also launch the four-year span of the 2010 Olympiad of arts and festival support in B.C. There are still Bid Book plans to hold the five-week arts festival, staring Feb 15, 2010, surrounding and during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Out of about 90 employees at VANOC, the article says, only Taylor and Marti Kulich, who wears a number of hats at VANOC, are focused on the arts component. They do not yet, it says, have any supporting structure of advisory groups or arts committees.
The City of Williams Lake and the surrounding Cariboo Regional District, in north-central B.C., have submitted a proposal to the the 2010 Olympic Games Live Site program run by the B.C. government for upgrading the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex in the city. The City and Regional District propose to provide $75,000 from various capital funds and Gibraltar Mines will match that, if the program will contribute a similar total. They want to put in a raised removable stage, improve the lighting and acoustics, and install television feeds.
From the Keeping The Story Straight Department: Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen, the competition manager of the ice hockey tournament of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, reports that 125.000 tickets have been sold so far for 2006 ice hockey events. Even though the TOROC marketing department is publicly saying there are shortages for some hockey events, Vuorinen told the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation Congress this week that there are still lots of tickets left for ice hockey, especially for the women's tournament. In fact, two-thirds of the available hockey tickets are still available. Vuorinen said that the goal of the Torino Olympic Organizing Committee is to sell 300,000 tickets for hockey. The main venue for the Torino ice hockey will be the new 12,200-seat Palasport Olympico, with the refurbished 6,000-seat Torino Esposizioni as the second venue. The current hockey ticket sales represents 28% of all tickets sold for the 2006 Games, the largest single block of tickets sold so far.

RESOURCES

The portion of the 2010 Bid book that deals with arts and cultural programming, in PDF format, 217k:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/En/NR/rdonlyres/eitfm62htaeahumfjcbuuemwfbqakpfftini5kaqrb34wwpe4aupca6eristbm6fts64lpfjpzttzp/BidBookTheme17.pdf

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 19, 2005

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1011
PRODUCT-LICENSING PROGRAM LAUNCHED WITH AIM TO QUALITY, STRICT CONTROLS - AND CANADA ONLY

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has issued its long-awaited first call for licensing the production of a specific product -- lapel pins with logos on them -- and in doing so has outlined the licensing philosophy it intends to pursue until 2012.

The information is detailed in a formal 17-page Expressions of Interest document, L2010-01. VANOC has asked firms interested in being a lapel-pin licensee to contact it fairly quickly -- by May 30. It will then evaluate those firms before shortlisting the best six to receive a specific Request for Proposal document, expected to be issued June 7, and choosing one from that second stage of the selection process. The winner of the second stage will also get a security check along with the license.

VANOC says in this particular case, it's looking first for firms willing to make and distribute lapel pins, lapel-pin sets and lapel-pin accessories out of cloisonné, hard-enamel cloisonné, soft enamel, die struck or pewter.

The document says that the VANOC Licensing Program overall, "is intended to further the ideals of Olympisim by creating and distributing a broad range of Olympic-related products which promote and enhance the Olympic brand. VANOC wishes to maximize the availability and sale of licensed products within an environment of controlled commercialization."

The document specifically limits VANOC's primary licensing program to Canadian firms, and any winner of a license will have to limit the production of the items to Canadian manufacturers. In order to ensure the goal is met, VANOC says it will be seeking the "best of the best of businesses with operations in Canada which can consistently design, manufacture and distribute a full range of attractive, high-quality, affordable licensed products bearing marks associated with VANOC, the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and/or the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC)."

The document adds that the licensing program, "will aim to reach consumers in every part of Canada through retail channels approved by VANOC. Licensees will also be provided with opportunities to supply premiums bearing marks associated with VANOC, the Games and/or the COC to parties including but not limited to VANOC, the COC and their respective sponsors, suppliers, and government partners."

The EOI says in most cases, the license granted to the winner of RFP stage will be good until 2012 and, "will include the right to sell and distribute licensed products and/or to supply premiums... during the term of the license using: (a) marks associated with the COC in connection with the Canadian teams participating at the 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games and 2007 and 2011 Pan American Games; and (b) marks associated with VANOC or with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games."

VANOC says the licensing rights will only be for general distribution at approved retail locations in Canada, not sales at special events or Games concessions, which, it appears, will be licensed separately.

VANOC says it will ensure that licensees agreed to a detailed licensing agreement that imposes financial and performance obligations upon the licensee. These include, "an undertaking to manufacture, advertise, promote, distribute and sell the licensed products exclusively within Canada" -- unless VANOC expressly says so otherwise; an undertaking to market the licensed products by the deadlines VANOC sets, an undertaking to pay VANOC a royalty on the sale of licensed products, "including [either] an advance on signing or [a] minimum guaranteed royalty amount." Royalty payments will have to be backed by "bank guarantees or letters of credit" in VANOC's favour.

VANOC says it will also require all shortlisted companies to provide the organization with at least a forecast of projected sales of the licensed products during the term of the license, a comprehensive marketing plan for the products, "including a proposed rollout plan by distribution channel for the licensed products (e.g. specialty stores, souvenir, gift, tourist, duty-free, sports stores, general retail stores etc.) to be implemented during the term of the license." VANOC will also require a financial discussion in the proposals that outlines the proponent's proposed royalty structure and advances or guarantees. It will also require the proponents to come up with a strategy for brand protection and anti-piracy, and demonstrate the licensee's ability to make the products, "according to a high ethical standard and [according to policies of] social responsibility and sustainability."

VANOC will also require the directors of any firm that wins a licensing contract to agree to on-going security checks of the company during the contract term by its "security partners" as a condition of that contract. The security clearance check could include a criminal-records search "and such other security searches as VANOC may deem advisable."

BACKGROUND

Cloisonné is a decorative enamelwork in which metal filaments are fused to the surface of an object to outline a design that is then filled in with enamel paste.

RESOURCES

The EOI document is now on BC Bid:
http://www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 18, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Business| #1010
RONA VP SAYS BUSINESS HAD AS MUCH TO DO WITH 2010 SPONSORSHIP PLANS AS VANOC'S VISION

The senior vice-president of Marketing & Development for Rona reveals that the Quebec company's decision to become a 2010 national sponsor for C$68 million was based as much on sound business reasons and return on investment as it was a genuine desire to be a part of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee's vision of the Games.

Michael Broussard, who received his promotion and new title yesterday in part for playing a key role in winning the building-supplies sponsorship bid over competitor Home Depot this month, says, "We feel there are plenty of business opportunities behind this particular project, but first is the pride of serving our community and giving back what we've retrieved from our community."

For one thing, he says, the people attracted to the Olympics fit into the profile of a Rona customer. "Everything that has had to do with an active lifestyle has always been close to Rona, as an organization... An active lifestyle is totally aligned with home renovations. People who renovate are active."

Broussard also notes that his 66-year-old company acquired significant rights to be a part of the Olympic Games broadcast coverage and for the use of the logos for the 2010 Games, the Olympic Rings and the Canadian Olympic Committee until 2012 as part of the deal.

"When you obtain the rights to the use of the Olympic rings," he says, "you also obtain the first rights to negotiate with CBC and Radio-Canada for the 2006 [Winter Games in Italy] and 2008 [Beijing Summer] Olympics. We acquired those rights up front. We also have the right to negotiate with CTV and TQS for 2010 and 2012. We have first rights to [marketing] on the broadcast of all those Games. From a marketing standpoint, that is a very strong media acquisition because of our exclusivity in the product category at a time when Canadians are rallied around the television set, watching their athletes compete on an international level. That's where we get the highest ratings of any media event, particularly during the hockey events."

He also says the move will help the company's goal of doubling its C$4 billion in sales and increasing its stores from 500 to 750 within the next three years, particularly through aggressive development of the western Canadian market. "There is definitely an internal business objective, and also, obviously, there is a definite business opportunity, both on the marketing side and on our business side. We are in the business of building and supplying materials, and being a national partner with VANOC certainly gives us a great opportunity to develop our business specifically in the Vancouver and B.C. areas." On the other hand, he would say only that the company has an aggressive expansion program for B.C. when asked if the company would be putting a store in Whistler or beefing up its Vancouver stores to deal with VANOC material and logistical demands.

Broussard, however, says the effects of the sponsorship are expected to be felt throughout the company, which has substantially expanded in the past five years through both internal growth and acquisitions. The Olympics is something on which all 22,000 company employees under all of the organization's various corporate banners can focus.

"The pride of our employees... and also the momentum it creates on the consumer end. And I think it brings Rona up to the next level as a recognized, strong, national company, especially when you're a national partner at the level of the Royal Bank, Bell Canada and HBC. It puts us in a unique league of Canadian organizations. That helps, not only from a top-of-mind awareness from a pure consumer standpoint, which has been increasing substantially in the last few years, but it also increases our relevance and awareness in the business community. That all helps when opening a new store, or acquiring, potentially, other organizations, and recruiting people from other organizations."

Broussard says that he'll be meeting in Toronto this week with his colleagues from the other major national sponsors to discuss a range of issues dealing with VANOC's Olympic marketing, logo use and co-ordination. "There's a lot happening with all of the national sponsors, and we're trying to co-ordinate ourselves, so all four of us are not out in public announcing something at the same time. Everyone wants their proper return and their share of rights in the partnership."

The RONA executive also has specific plans to begin implementing the company's sponsorship over the next few years, starting with programs that will be detailed shortly. As he puts it, "Part of [VANOC CEO] John Furlong's dream is to facilitate the access of Canadians to sport activities and to actually 'Own the Podium' in 2010, and that it's not just about winning; it's about how we're going to get there, and really activate the Canadian population around this great and open vision that John has. That, and leaving a legacy behind; the concept doesn't start now, in 2005 and end in 2010. It's a continual influx of activities. The first activity that we'll be embarking upon is supporting Canadian athletes. We're working out the program right now with VANOC and the Canadian Olympic Committee, and we'll be announcing soon the components of that athlete-support program."

In addition, more than half of the company's sponsorship will go towards development of an "athlete's centre" in Whistler, but when asked if that means the firm will be contributing toward construction of the VANOC Whistler Athlete's Village or whether it's for something different, Broussard said he's not ready to talk about it yet.

"I won't be able to answer you specifically on that. We want to announce properly this particular centre, and the details will follow on this. And I wouldn't want to precede my colleagues at VANOC. We'll have to do this as a joint presentation. I would feel awkward about stating any specifics and being slightly off on the final arrangements that we'll do with VANOC. But there are actually two components of the C$38 million. One is to secure the rights and one is to secure the centre. And the details will be following, shortly. I'm not going to even give a specific date for the announcement. I'm going to have my discussions with my VANOC colleagues, and we will jointly decide on the best date to do that."

RESOURCES

We offer at the link below the full interview in PDF format between Michael Broussard and Morgan:News:2010 editor Peter Morgan, in which the Rona executive also talks, among other things, about:

The factors that figured into the ROI calculations of the sponsorship;
Rona's other Olympic involvements;
Marketing ideas the company got as it constructed a promotional version of the VANOC logo for its sponsorship launch that is now at the entrance to the firm's marketing department in Boucherville;
How C$8 million of the company's sponsorship will be directed toward athletes;
How the company's significant Quebec presence fits with VANOC's national marketing plans;
How he and Rona president Robert Dutton felt there was chemistry between them and VANOC's John Furlong and his chief marketer, Dave Cobb, during their first meeting last summer, and
How Rona's values fit with those of VANOC.

http://www.morgan-news.com/2010/SupportFiles/2005-05/RonaBroussardInterview.pdf

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 18, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1009
BC LIBERALS AND MINISTER IN CHARGE OF 2010 GAMES RE-ELECTED TO SECOND TERM

The British Columbia electorate gave premier Gordon Campbell and his BC Liberal Party a second four-year term in office during province-wide voting, and that included the man in charge of B.C.'s part of the 2010 Winter Games, John Les.

Les, who has been the minister of Small Business & Economic Development for the governing party and is responsible for the BC Provincial 2010 Secretariat and the 2010 Commerce Centre, easily won his Fraser Valley riding of Chilliwack-Sumas with 11,644 votes to 6,247 for his nearest rival, John-Henry Harter of the opposition New Democratic Party.

The Campbell government strongly supported the Bid to acquire the 2010 Games, continues to be strongly supportive of the Games' evolution, and is responsible for funding a significant portion of it.

Overall, the BC Liberal Party, which is philosophically and legally distinct from the federal Canadian governing Liberal Party, won 46 of the 79 legislative seats and garnered 46% of the popular vote. Although its huge majority in its previous term was significantly reduced -- the NDP increased the number of their seats from two to 33 and their popular vote to 41% -- the change was largely seen as a return of the government to its normal balance of power after an unusual 2001 election.

Now that the provincial political situation has been resolved, attention moves to stability on the federal level. The minority Liberal government of Paul Martin is to call a critical vote tomorrow on his government's budget, which included major concessions to the small federal NDP Party in exchange for its support tomorrow. The budget also carries funding for various aspects of the 2010 Winter Games and related high-performance athletic programs.

If the vote fails, a June election is expected, although it's possible that Governor General Adrianne Clarkson could ask Conservative leader Stephen Harper to form a government without holding an election.

If the vote succeeds, a winter election is expected because of a public promise made by Martin. Combined, the Liberals and NDP may have just enough votes to tie the combined opposition of the federal Conservative Party and the separatist Bloc Quebecois party tomorrow, but much depends on the ability of all parties to ensure their MPs are in the house to vote, and the decision of two independent MPs. If there is a tie, the Speaker of the house, who is a member of the Liberal Party, would cast the deciding vote.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 18, 2005

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Business| #1008
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE STARTLED BY TV BROADCAST RIGHTS VALUE OF 2010 AND 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

Newswatch

The International Olympic Committee's man who negotiated the sale of the American and European broadcasting rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics before stepping down, Michael Payne, says the IOC was surprised when the American rights sold for US$2.1 billion.

The 2010 rights were part of a package of Olympic Games which included the 2012 Summer Olympics which the American giant General Electric bought on behalf of its TV arm, NBC.

Payne, who is now a special adviser to Formula One racing president Bernie Ecclestone, said in Bangkok, Thailand, "Who would have thought eight years ago the broadcast rights for two Games would go for over $2 billion. The IOC didn't. I don't think anybody did." His comments were reported by India Television, which was covering the 36th Asia-Pacific Broadcast Union Sports Group Conference, being held in Bangkok,Thailand. About 100 delegates attended. Bell Canada and its CTV television network, leading a consortium of private broadcasters that include Rogers Communications, paid C$192 million for the Canadian broadcasting rights to the 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games.

Payne was a 15-year veteran of the IOC when he left the organization last August, and was its Marketing Director from 1989 to 2003. He was the architect of the IOC's multi-level sponsorship program that now provides the majority of the funds for the Olympic movement as well as for the national Olympic Committees around the world, such as Canada's, and also for an interlocking group of international sports federations.

Payne also spoke about future market shares in high-performance sport, and how to broaden the revenue base for major global sports brands. "The era of the 30-second, stand-alone TV commercial will soon be dead. A relatively new technology called Tivo is now able to blank out advertising. But live sport is the only 'Tivo-proof' programming," he said.

Payne also spoke about the importance of creating a broadcast brand identity, according to Indian TV. Television stations should heavily promote their sports inventory and show the public that they owned it, he said. As he put it, "Recognize the changing market place in advertising dynamics. Be creative - engage the advertiser and their agencies. Build a dialogue with the property owners. Show what you can do beyond the dollar sign."

The European Broadcast Union, covering 51 countries except for Italy, paid C$999 million for a wide range of media categories including, for the first time multi-media and mobile telephony, for the broadcasting rights to the 2010 and 2012 Games. Payne, however, told the ABU conference that even though there was a lot of hyperbole about new-media broadcast technologies, it hasn't yet translated into reality. "During the recent European tender for the next Olympics, not one offer was received from a telecommunications company for the mobile telephony rights, even though the European Union had basically instructed us to separate them from free-to-air, pay-cable TV and the Internet. They were not interested," he said.

Payne's comments come as the BBC, England's broadcasting organization, reported it's begun an experiment that would see it make its TV and radio programming available on the Internet using peer-to-peer distribution, similar to the service once run by Napster, but with a digital-rights licensing system in a kind of a download pay-per-view system.

Payne told the conference that Asia would keep fueling the dynamic growth in the Olympics brand value.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 17, 2005

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1007

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

Designer says VANOC's logo work worth between C$8 million and C$40 million;

Bell wins gold in sponsorship contest for Olympic work;

Men's World ice hockey in Europe on either side of 2010 Games

An Edmonton-based graphic designer and art director, Michael Surtees, estimates that the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) received anywhere from C$8 million to C$40 million in design work from Canadian firms by running its logo-design competition, which VANOC says produced 1,600 entries. The contest prize was C$25,000. Surtees says he based the estimates on two scenarios based on the fact that 1,599 designs were submitted and not picked. As he puts it, "The contest was open to Canadian designers. Designers run businesses like everyone else and charge fees. Scenario A: If each of the other 1,599 designs were paid C$5,000 for their time and effort (1,599 x $5,000 = $7,995,000), and Scenario B: if every design was valued the same as the winner: each design would be paid C$25,000 (1,599 x $25,000 = $39,975,000). Unfortunately when you have an open-call design contest, where time is not paid for, it comes off the bottom line of the design studio." Surtees notes that it's simply a guesstimate, because each studio charges differently for its fees. But, he adds, "What is a fact is that VANOC got a lot of design work done tax free."
Bell Canada's sponsorship work on a number of programs with the Canadian Olympic Committee during 2004 has been given a Gold Award in the Sports category by the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada during its second annual conference in Toronto, Ontario. The awards program is connected to performance in Canadian sponsorship marketing. The national awards cover four categories: Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Cause, and Special Interest. "The winners reflect sponsorship effectiveness rather than size, and were evaluated based on their success in meeting objectives and achieving business results," says Jo-Ann McArthur, president of Molson Sports & Entertainment and chair of the Awards' Judging Panel.
The International Men's World Hockey Championships games on either side of the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Europe. The International Ice Hockey Federation, whose president, Rene Fasel, is also chairman of the International Olympic Committee commission that oversees the development of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, chose Germany today for the 2010 tournament, which will be held in Cologne and Mannheim. The 2009 tournament will be held in Switzerland, in the cities of Zurich and Bern. The dates of the tournaments haven't been announced, but the games are usually held in April or May. VANOC is currently doing some upgrading work on one of its venues, the Coliseum in east Vancouver, to accommodate the Junior men's world hockey championships, which are scheduled to start the day after Christmas this year.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on May 17, 2005