Morgan:News:2010:Bronze Edition: June 2006

Friday, June 30, 2006

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Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1766
WHISTLER EXPECTED TO FORMALLY APPROVE OLYMPIC VILLAGE -- AND REDUCE WSC RED TAPE -- TUESDAY

The council of the Resort Municipality of Whistler will make its final decision on whether to authorize construction of the Whistler Olympic Village during its regularly scheduled meeting July 4.

The decision on whether to proceed with the Olympic Village is expected to be approved as a matter of course. Work has already started on the lands in order to keep to the timetable of having it completed by the middle of 2009, and several arrangements with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) and the BC government have been authorized, particularly in the last few weeks, that make it economically feasible for Whistler to proceed. The municipality has already held the necessary public hearings.

At the July 4 meeting, councillors will also decide whether to quickly exempt the Whistler Sliding Centre from its bylaws requiring a building permit. In order to do so, it must amend its Building and Plumbing Regulation bylaw. Normally it would do so over two council meetings, to allow time for public comment, but it intends to push this through all three readings during the July 4 meeting.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Sports| #1765
2010-BOUND OLYMPIC NATIONAL TEAMS TRAIN UNDER VARIETY OF SUMMER CONDITIONS

A number of communities in British Columbia, Oregon and Washington State are in various stages of aggression in trying to convince national winter Olympic teams around the world to consider using their community for training in advance of the 2010 Winter Games. The advantages to the community are the economic flows from such teams spending weeks in their town as the training is underway.

Not all the training occurs during the winter. Here's a look at the kind of training that occurs among the teams for one major Olympic sport -- freestyle skiing -- during the summer. And, while the ultimate focus is the 2010 Olympics, that's still too far away; the athletes have much nearer hurdles to make.

This year's goal for freestyle skiing athletes in their new training season is the Freestyle World Ski Championships hosted by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in Madonna di Campiglio, to be held from January 22 to 28.

While some teams are now training on glacier snow, such as the Canadian moguls team that is working to refine techniques with the newly hired mogul aerials coach Darcy Downs on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, many others are training on water jumps, such as the Czech and Austrian teams currently in Stity, in the Czech Republic. Others, such as the US Freestyle Team, are coaching youngsters abouit moguls and aerials at summer camps. These camps, which range from on-snow glacier training to climbing walls, using trampolines and skate parks or bowls, allow World Cup athletes to train in excellent conditions while helping the younger generation develop their skills base during the off-competition season.

The Austrian and Czech national ladies' moguls teams recently held a joint dry-land training camp in Austria. As part of the schedule, the teams visited the Faaker See Training Center in Karnten, Austria. A highlight of the visit was a session with Joe 'Tiger' Pachler, a former European Champion in boxing, who staged a demanding introduction to his sport. Why? Because, like moguls skiing, boxing requires excellent coordination skills. The camp also included a number of mountain bike rides as well as an introduction to kayaking presented by the trainer of the Austrian biathlon team.

In Finland, the men's mogul team launched its dry-land training at the newly renovated water jump facility in Nurmes, in the north-east of the country. The revamped jump is the home base for the team's summer training. "For us, this updated facility will enable more jumps and more efficient training while saving money and time before we return to on-snow training on the glaciers in Zermatt [Switzerland] or France in August," says Pekka Lehtikallio, the moguls team's coach. He added: "Since this jump is the only fresh-water jump of this calibre in the Nordic countries, there is a lot of interest in it from teams both East and West of Finland, too."

With the overall improvements in water jumps' profiles and materials, the importance of water jumping in freestyle skiers' dry-land training has grown in recent years even though variety also remains important.

The Finnish team, for example, plans to hold about five or six camps at the Nurmes facility. "Water jumps, even with the differences in landing, represent the best off-season training method for us. We can really train all the elements of the jump, including the take-off, air flight and position in air. Once we get back on snow, we can focus on the skiing part and combining that with the jumps," Lehtikallio noted.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |General| #1764
WASHINGTON STATE COLUMNIST HIGHLIGHTS SEVERAL 2010-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS, CONTACTS

Lance Dickie, a columnist for the Seattle Times newspaper, has published a round-up of various things and contacts 2010 that are going on in Washington State.

From his column, here are some helpful things we've gleaned:

The lead person for Washington State governor Christine Gregoire's task-force activities on the Winter Games is Mary Rose. She's 2010 program manager, working in the state's Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. She is presenting regional seminars on the cross-border possibilities.

Counties are putting together local consortiums. Snohomish County organized SnoGold 2010 through the office of County Executive Aaron Reardone. John Cooper is president and CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, which is working with the Whatcom Council of Governments on 2010 projects. Adds Dickie, "Cooper said Whatcom County wants to draw international attention to Mount Baker and other natural amenities to raise the area's profile long after the Games. The mountain claims a piece of snowboarding history, an attraction for visiting media not focused on daily results from 90 events."

Work on US Federal government permitting and environmental reveiws have been completed for rebuilding the main border crossing connection between Seattle and Vancouver at the Peace Arch at Blaine. "Whatcom County has five border crossings to spruce up and the state Department of Transportation is working on several state highway expansions," says Dickie. The work would have been done eventually, but the advent of 2010 traffic flows sped them up.

Dickie notes: "The Tulalip Tribes, northwest of Marysville, plan a 12-story, 365-room hotel, scheduled for completion by 2008. John McCoy, legislator and tribal business manager, said the decision to build was driven by the Olympics. Consultants had advised the tribes to be strategic in their thinking, and the Winter Games offered a green light... For 2010, McCoy said one idea is to host athletes training nearby, such as hockey teams using the ice rink at the Everett Events Center."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1763
2010 COMMITTEE AND COC CO-HOST THREE FUND-RAISING GOLF TOURNAMENTS

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee will co-host fund-raising golf tournaments at three cities across Canada, starting with a Toronto tournament on August 16 at The Club at Bondhead.

Following Toronto, the COC will host a two-day event in Whistler at both the Whistler Golf Club and the Nicklaus North Golf Course from September 8 to 9.

The annual fundraiser is to end on October 2 with a tournament at the Club de Gold Le Mirage in Montreal.

Participants in these golf tournaments will play alongside some of Canada's major Olympians. The courses will also feature sport demonstrations by several Olympic athletes, as well as a gala dinner and team prizes.

Proceeds raised from the tournaments go to The Canadian Olympic Foundation, which provides support to athletes, coaches, national sport federations and the Own the Podium 2010 program, for which VANOC is raising funds. In addition, 25% of the proceeds will be re-invested directly into sport within local communities.

RESOURCES
For more information or to register: Rebecca Cox, Canadian Olympic Committee <RCox@Olympic.ca>

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |IOC| #1762
VANOC INVITED TO HELP MARK 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF MONTREAL SUMMER OLYMPICS

The City of Montreal and the Canadian Olympic Committee will mark the 30th anniversary of the Opening Ceremony of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal on On July 17, and officials of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) have been invited to attend.

To help commemorate the event, the City of Montreal is planning several activities including a cocktail reception and the launch of an exhibit on the Games at Montreal City Hall. The exhibit will be open for visitors and members of the public throughout the summer.

Among the dignitaries expected to be in attendance at the July 17 reception, as well as a COC-hosted luncheon the same day, include International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, Canadian IOC Member and VANOC director Richard Pound, Sport Minister for Quebec Jean-Marc Fournier, Canadian athletes from the 1976 Olympic Games, Quebec medallists from 1976 and since, as well as guests from the City of Montreal, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Montreal Games Organizing Committee and those connected with the Quebec sport community.

Two days later, on July 19, the Quebec chapter of Olympians Canada will bring together past and present members of various Quebec sport federations and Olympic athletes for an evening of Olympic movies at Montreal's Olympic Stadium.

Throughout the summer, representatives from the 1976 Olympic Games are to recognized by being asked to participate in national and international sporting events being held throughout Canada. They will be asked to do such things as present medals at events or speak at variouis ceremonies.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |IOC| #1761
CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE RESTRUCTURES WITH EYE TO 2008 AND 2010

The Canadian Olympic Committee is restructuring itself "to better focus" itself on the 2008 Summer and 2010 Winter Olympics, as well as on its core areas of business: Olympic Preparation & Games, Marketing & Communications, and Operations, according to Olympic officials.

Each of these three areas will be led by an Executive Director reporting to chief operating officer Lou Ragagnin. He, in turn will continue to report to CEO Chris Rudge.

The three Executive Directors are:

Caroline Assalian, Olympic Preparation and Games

David Bedford, Marketing and Communications and,

Judy Crute, Operations.

A new Senior Director position and two new Director positions are being created under Assalian, with existing staff being moved into the positions. Alex Gardiner's new title is Director, Olympic Programming - Technical; Betty Dermer-Norris will be the new Director of Team Operations, and Derek Covington is now Director of Olympic Preparation.

The COC's Athlete & Community Relations department, which previously reported to Ragagnin, has been moved to Bedford's responsibility, with Marc Gelinas, based in the COC's Montreal office, taking over national responsibility for the Athlete & Community Relations Business Plan.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 30, 2006

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1760

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

TWO 2010 MARKETING EXECS IN BEIJING FOR SPONSOR CONFERENCE

VANOC representatives are take part in the second annual Sponsor Workshop of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Organizing Committee is underway in Beijing, China, to brief the sponsors on the latest development of Games preparations and network. The VANOC reps include Andrea Shaw, VANOC's Sponsorship Department vice-president, and Neeta Soni, VANOC's Director of Marketing and Client Services. Apparently there no Canadian-only sponsors of VANOC in attendance, but representatives of the international sponsors of the 2010 Games, which have agreements with the International Olympic Committee directly, are there. The IOC, the International Paralympic Committee and all of the sponsors for the Chinese Games are there, along with reps from all the upcoming Games. Besides those from 2010, are people from the 2012 London Summer Games and the candidate cities for the 2014 Winter Games. BOCOG President Liu Qi, in an opening statement to the group, said the Beijing municipal government will intensify its efforts to protect the rights and interests of the sponsors, and improve the city's look-and-feel. It will also organize cultural events of various kinds to provide more opportunities for the sponsors to participate and market themselves. Other areas covered at the workshop include other types of sponsor marketing, as well as the state of venue construction, sport competition, venue operations, city operations, culture, look & image of the Games, the planning for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and for the Torch Relay, aspects of BOCOG's media and communications department, as well as its media operations, rate cards, logistics, protection of Olympic and Paralympic marks, volunteers, the accompanying Paralympic Games, and topics closely related to the sponsor operations during Games time such as accommodation, transport, accreditation and security. Beijing expects to hold two more of these conferences, one in 2007 and the last one in the early summer of 2008.

BAINS REMAINS NDP OLYMPIC CRITIC

The opposition party to the BC Government today rearranged its group of critics who monitor the activities of various government cabinet ministers, but it has not affected the New Democratic Party's critic for the Olympics. Harry Bains, the NDP member of the Legislature for the riding of Surrey-Newton, remains the critic following the shuffle.

Water company considers making a 2010 splash

Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation (OTCBB: CCBEF), which is an office-water supplier based in Vancouver, was chattering on about reaching various agreements with Global Water, a U.S. based, non-profit organization whose goal is to set up safe water supplies in developing nations, when a spokesman made an odd comment. Clearly Canadian president Brent Lokash said, almost in passing at one point, "Clearly Canadian looks forward to... using that success to help bring awareness of the need for safe water supplies to the world's attention at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games." We've put in a call to ask him or his marketing director about how the firm intends to do this, since it's not a VANOC sponsor, but have not yet received a response.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 29, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1759

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

BLACKCOMB TO BE OPEN FOR NORMAL BUSINESS DURING 2010 GAMES

Dave Brownlie, Whistler Blackcomb's chief operating officer, says that no only will all of Blackcomb Mountain and most of Whistler be open for normal skiing while the 2010 Winter Olympics are underway, there will likely be less crowded. Brownlie was reported by the Whistler Question newspaper about the lessons he learned from spending five days in Torino during the 2006 Games last February and March. He said the reduction in skier volume will due to the fact that most of Whistler’s accommodation will be used by Olympic and Paralympic sponsors, athlete’s families, and others producing the Games, and because there was an incorrect assumption, despited advertising to offset it, that the rest of the mountains will be closed to skiing because of the perception that the Olympics is on all of them. All alpine events will be located on Whistler Mountain at Creekside. Other lessons learned by others from Whistler who were at the Torino Games: family and friends of athletes should be treated in special ways because they help motivate athletes and bring spirit to the Games. Another was to give volunteers to the Games, who are highly motivated, meaningful jobs.

HANSEN CONFIRMS BC TO HAVE A "SIMILAR PRESENCE" IN BEIJING AS IT DID IN TORINO

The BC government minister in charge of its Olympic file, Colin Hansen confirms the government will have a "similar presence" in Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics as it had in downtown Torino with BC/Canada House during this year's Winter Olympics. "Through the business relationships that were built and continue to grow from Torino, to the estimated C$30 million in ad value BC received from international media coverage, we know our investment in Beijing will be a huge success," he says. The BC government spent about C$11 million on its log-house style complex for Torino. He adds, "Our intention in Beijing is to expose the rich potential of our province to the vast Asian market as a tourist destination, an investment centre and as North America’s gateway to doing business with Asia. Beijing will present fantastic opportunities for BC’s wood, green energy and environmental sectors to show why their products are world leaders. Our First Nation partners will also be able to showcase their history, art and culture to the world market. And based on the success of BC/Canada Place, we know the opportunities that BC businesses have at the site of the Olympic Games."

HALF OF WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL SHORTS WINNERS FOCUSED ON OLYMPICS, PARALYMPICS

Two of four winners of a Whistler Film Festival competition for five-minute movies about the area have films with Olympic or Paralympic themes. Whistler Stories is a legacy program for the area in advance of the 2010 Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is expected to run annually until 2010. It is sponsored by 2010 Legacies Now and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. "Whistler: An Olympic Story" by Brian Hockenstein uses computer animation and live interviews with Whistler founders, to look at the history of Whistler with the idea of showing how the area was created to host the Winter Olympics in 1968, which ultimately wasn't successful. Meanwhile, "Can You Hear Me?", by Beau Blanch looks at the history of the Paralympic movement, with comments from a few Whistler Paralympic athletes. Each producer -- they both live in Whistler -- receives C$5,000 and an opportunity for their film to be premiered at the Whistler Film Festival, which is to be held from November 30 to December 3.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 29, 2006

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1758
CANADA TO INVEST C$12.5 MILLION ANNUALLY IN SPORT SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Michael Chong, the Canadian Minister for Sport, has released a Policy on Sport for Persons with a Disability that will provide C$12.5 million in funding to increase the number of people with disabilities who can participate in sport, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee was involved in the program's creation.

C$11 million of it will be provided each year for federal programs to improve access to sport and C$1.5 million annually fund growth in participation in sport for persons with disabilities.

Chong said the policy was developed in consultation with representatives from Special Olympics Canada, which deals with people with mental disabilities, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, which currently deals with people who have physical disabilities, the Canadian Deaf Sports Association, Canada's provincial and territorial governments, as well as several national sport and multisport service organizations.

"This policy will provide a firmer foundation for the development of sport opportunities for Canadians with disabilities, which holds enormous benefit in terms of their health and social integration," said Henry Wohler, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

Luc Michaud, President of the Canadian Deaf Sports Association says that, "With this policy, deaf athletes across Canada will have the opportunity to compete and excel on the international playing field; Canada will be showcasing our best athletes in all capacities. We are pleased the federal government recognizes the need to foster the participation of sport in under-represented groups."

The policy's goal is to increase the number of persons with disabilities involved in sport activities at all levels and in all forms. It provides a framework for partners and stakeholders to initiate changes that lead to reducing and eventually eliminating sport-specific barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating. The Government of Canada will continue to work with its partners to effectively implement the Policy.

The Government of Canada is the single largest investor in Canada's sport system. A total of $140 million is provided annually for initiatives to support our high-performance athletes and to increase Canadians' participation in sport.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 28, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Business, Labour| #1757
BC UNIONIZED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS REACH TENTATIVE DEALS TO APRIL 30, 2010

Canadian Press today is reporting that tentative agreements have been reached between the BC Construction Labour Relations Association and 14 provincial construction unions have been reached that, if approved, will stabilize unionized wage rates in until just after the 2010 Olympics.

No details have been released, but the unions, which represent 35,000 workers, will hold ratification votes by mid-August. The deal expires April 30, 2010 and includes about 300 companies.

CP says wages, benefits, holidays, hours of work, pensions, safety provisions and travel provisions are included in the prospective deals.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 28, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1756
HOW MUCH FOR A TENT? HOW MUCH FOR A TRAILER? FENCING? VANCOUVER 2010 WANTS TO KNOW

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) is looking for pricing information on an initial six classes of products that will be used temporarily just before and during the 2010 Winter Games.

The categories include fencing, tents, trailers, storage containers, washcars (a type of portable washroom) and flag poles. VANOC's also looking, within each commodity category, supplier suggestions of products that might be substitutions, or have options that VANOC might find useful when it mounts the Games.

For instance, it says, portable toilet units and hand-sanitizing stations might be considered a substitution for washcars, or Quonset huts may be considered a substitution for tents. It expects to begin installing the Olympic Overlay on its venues in November, 2009.

Companies have until July 11 to fill out the forms VANOC is offering for the categories. A spreadsheet with the details and other informaiton about the request is being posted on BC Bid for companies to download.

VANOC wants the pricing in current Canadian dollars, without adding any taxes, with prices that reflect delivery in Vancouver and Whistler. The storage containers, which can be up to five years old, are relatively large ones; VANOC's looking for sizes of about 10' x 24' and about 10' x 40'. The trailers range from 10' x 24' to 10' x 60', and one type of about 20' x 52', in standard office configuration.

The enclosure items, such as tens, trailers and washcars, need to be sufficiently strong to deal with a Whistler snowfall and to be wheelchair accessible. The fencing for which VANOC is looking is the freestanding kind that can withstand being blown over in gusty winds. The flag poles sought are in 20-, 30- and 40-foot lengths. The pricing should be based, VANOC says, on products or commodities than are no more than three years old; rental costs in one-month and three-month increments. For the most part, VANOC's also looking for pricing information on delivery, installation and removal.

VANOC is careful to say that it isn't at the point yet where it intends to rent or lease any of these items; it just needs the information at the moment to develop two things: a list of possible interested suppliers of such products, and, primarily to plug the pricing numbers into their planning spreadsheets. Among other things, all sixty functions of VANOC are in the process of contributing to the development of VANOC's first public business plan, expected late this year, probably in November.

At some point later, VANOC says, it'll be asking about other categories of temporary-use items, such as event specific temporary products -- seating, tents, platforms, ramps, signage, Look-of-the-Games treatment, for example -- and services, such as electrical, mechanical, waste water, ventilation and air-conditioning. But it stresses, it's not ready to take that information yet.

RESOURCES

From our Live & Learn Department: What the heck is a Quonset hut (it's pronounced "KWAN-seht")? According to Wikipedia, the Internet self-serve enclycopedia, "A Quonset hut is a lightweight, prefabricated structure [usually] of corrugated iron, having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I. The name comes from their site of first manufacture, Quonset Point, at the Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center in Davisville (a village located within the town of North Kingstown), Rhode Island. " And here we thought they were built by bands of roving Quonsets...

A picture of some Quonet huts:
www.uh.edu/engines/quonset.jpg

RESOURCES

BC Bid's website portal. Browse for bid opportunities by organization name. VANOC's name will be at the top; follow the links.

www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 28, 2006

Monday, June 26, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1755

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

GREAT BRITAIN EYES AERIAL SKIING MEDAL AT 2010 GAMES

The manager of Britain's aerial skiing, Simon Ashton, says his organization has begun to resurrect the sport with a push strong enough to win a medal in the sport for the country at the 2010 Winter Games. "It is a bold statement but it is definitely what we are aiming for," he told a BBC reporter today. Snowsports Great Britain has decided to support the comeback of the sport, which hasn't existed in Great Britain since the mid-90s. Aerials involves an athlete on skis performing a series of somersaults and spins as they are catapulted up to 15 metres into the air from a jump. They are judged on how high they jump, how graceful the jump is and on the style of their landing. You don't need to be a skier to compete in aerials. We are more interested in those with a background in gymnastics, tumbling, trampolining or diving," Ashton told a BBC reporter. "They have the natural ability and we can coach them to make the transition to snow." As a result, his group is recruiting and coaching athletes with expertise in trampolining and gymnastics. Ashton also hopes his country will compete in a new ski-cross event if its approved for the 2010 Games. The International Olympic Committee will decide in November whether ski-cross will be included. "We're really excited about the possibility of ski-cross in the [2010] Olympics although it was a shame they did not think to consider half-pipe too," said Ashton.

"WE'RE NEXT" IS NEXT IN VANOC SLOGAN PIPELINE

VANOC is in the process of creating another official trademark. The slogan "We're Next" is currently wending its way through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office for registration, after the 2010 Committee's trademark law firm, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP of Vancouver, began the process April 20, but it wasn't made public until June 21. That brings to 116 the number of marks VANOC has protected. Number made public by VANOC as of April 3, 2006, when it last published a list (which is quite difficult to find): 104.

HBC PUMPS OLYMPIC BRANDS FOR CANADA DAY

HBC, VANOC's retail sponsor has, true to its word, begun marketing Olympic materials connected with Canada's national day, July 1, which is also connected with an annual public run which it sponsors. HBC is the holding company for several large Canadian retailers, including Hudson's Bay Company and Zellers. The top three items they're pushing this week are these: "1. Cool capris and shorts in many styles and colours, Official Canadian Olympic Apparel, the Bay and Zellers; 2. Hats and visors, Official Canadian Olympic Apparel, the Bay and Zellers; and 3. Men's and Women's bathing suits, Official Canadian Olympic Apparel, the Bay and Zellers.

RESOURCES
A PDF file dated April 3, 2006 that lists most of the brands and trademarks of VANOC, its former Bid committe, the IOC and the Canadian Olympic Committeem, among others:
www.vancouver2010.com/resources/PDFs/Official%20Marks.pdf

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 26, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Paralympic| #1754
GOVERNING BOARD CONFIRMS 2010 PARALYMPIC GAMES LINE-UP

The Paralympic program for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games was approved by the International Paralympic Committee's Governing Board in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IPC's Board confirmed that paralympic athletes will compete in five sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling, all in Whistler.

For alpine skiing, the Board accepted the possible addition of medal events in super combined. It's a two-part event that includes a super-G race and slalom on one day. The times of each race are compiled to determine a ranking. This, however depends on what IPC spokesman Miriam Wilkens calls "a comprehensive feasibility analysis", that is, competition schedule, compiled by the IPC in and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, that can work. Wheelchair curling in 2010 be a 10-team tournament. That's two more teams than the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics.

IPC President Sir Philip Craven, says, “There is potential for more sports, disciplines and events as well as athletes to compete at a Winter Paralympics and we are confident that, for the Games in Vancouver, we will be able to augment the number of athletes taking part. We hope that the national Paralympic committees [in various countries] and sports will work together with us to make sure that viable new sports, disciplines and events can be added to future Paralympic Games programs.”

The Board also approved the final Paralympic Brand Report, were briefed on the status of the Paralympic Games, received a debrief of the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics and an update on the organization's current budget, as well as updates on the work of various IPC standing committees and councils.

The IPC has decided it won't be possible to begin integrating sports for people with mental disabilities in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics, but it wasn't immediately clear whether that meant it might focus some efforts on the 2010 Games.

The Board recieved a report on the progress made about developing a what Wilkens, the IPC's Media and Communication Director, calls a "mutually acceptable eligibility and verification systems for athletes with an intellectual disability." At this point, the IPC only holds Games for athletes with a physical disability. The report outlined research conducted on the impact of intellectual disability on sport performance, initiatives to develop sport-specific criteria and details on a general eligibility system as well as corresponding appeal procedures.

At the 2004 IPC Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt, a motion was approved agreeing that the IPC would actively direct the process by which mutually acceptable eligibility and verification systems are developed. In November 2005, a report was provided to the IPC General Assembly on the status, including provisional findings, of the research. Based on this status report, the General Assembly requested that the GB make a decision on the inclusion of athletes with an intellectual disability at future IPC sanctioned competitions, including the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, no later than June 2006 on presentation of the additional research findings and the advice of the involved sports.

The Board accepted the report detailing the research findings and the conclusion that no sports-specific eligibility system has been developed for athletes with an intellectual disability to date. The Board also decided that the general eligibility system, as developed by the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID) and referred to in the report, doesn't achieve the standard expected for IPC competitions and is not sufficiently robust to ensure fair competition for athletes with an intellectual disability. This opinion, based on the subjectivity of the Sport Information and Consequences Questionnaire and the absence of real on-site and tested protest procedures, was supported by the feedback from sports specialists of Athletics, Swimming and Table Tennis. Consequently, the GB decided that athletes with an intellectual disability cannot take part in IPC sanctioned events, including the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

There is, however, evidence to suggest that sport specific eligibility systems may be developed in the future and, as a result, the status of the participation of athletes with an intellectual disability at future IPC competitions will be re-evaluated following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, allowing for more time for further work to be carried out in this area.

Sir Philip noted that: “This is the first time that such scientific research has been undertaken and I congratulate the group responsible for its initial work, which could form the base of a sport-specific eligibility system for athletes with an intellectual disability after the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.”

The Olympics executive Board is expected to make a decision this fall on the 2010 Games line-up.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 26, 2006

Friday, June 23, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1753
VANOC'S LOTTERY SPONSOR ADDS GRETZKY GAME TO ROYALTY GENERATORS

The BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) today added a game with a high-profile name attached to it, in part to help boost royalties to the 2010 Olympics.

BCLC's SportsFunder suite of lottery products, which provides royalties to the 2010 Games as part of the organization's sponsorship, now has a C$5 SportsFunder instant-win ticket featuring North American ice hockey personality Wayne Gretzky. The SportsFunder Lottery games also benefit amateur sports in B.C.

BCLC says the Gretzky game has about C$2.1 million in cash and prizes, with top cash prizes of C$99,000 -- Gretzky's jersey number, when he played, was 99. Coupled with those prizes, and for the first time offered on a BCLC instant-win ticket, players can win the opportunity for themselves and a friend to spend a day with Gretzky, and receive signed Gretzky souvenirs.

Proceeds from SportsFunder Lottery games are also distributed by the BC government to directly pay for a program called Game Plan/Team BC, which provides support for high-performance B.C. athletes, financial assistance for coaching development and travel assistance for BC athletes so they can used training facilities and take part in competitions.

BCLC's partnership with tthe Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) provides BCLC with sponsorship rights for the Vancouver 2010 Games, as well as marketing rights to the Canadian Olympic Team for the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Games.

SportsFunder Lottery games also include a province-wide 50/50 game with draws every 30 minutes, pull tab tickets and SportsFunder interactive games available the Lottery Corporation's website.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 23, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Government, VANOC| #1752
OTTAWA CONTEMPLATES "OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE WE CAN CONTAIN COSTS" FOR VANOC CONSTRUCTION

It appears the federal government is considering some construction-control suggestions for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC).

The possibility Ottawa may also have some strings attached to its reponse to a request VANOC made last November for C$55 million from each of the BC and the federal governments came in an oblique comment by the federal politican overseeing VANOC. VANOC in May replaced its construction vice-president, Steve Matheson, with Dan Doyle, a long-time BC government construction deputy minister who had retired last year, but has not given a reason for the move.

A reporter from the Ottawa news bureau of CanWest MediaWorks, which owns The Vancouver Sun newspaper, and Jeff Lee, the veteran reporter assigned to cover the Olympics by the Sun, report in a jointly written story today on a brief interview with the minister responsible for the Canadian government's Olympics file, David Emerson.

Ottawa reporter Peter O'Neil asked Emerson "if the results of the recent audit launched by the federal government have satisfied him that VANOC won't be appearing with more requests if the $55 million is covered?"

Earlier this year the federal government hired Burnaby-based Pacific Liaicon and Associates, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Inc., to review VANOC's venue-construction program. The results were sent to Ottawa in May. The chairman of the firm, Henry H. Wakabayashi, said that calling the review an audit would be too strong a word, but would not discuss his company's recommendations.

Emerson, O'Neil reports, replied to the question this way, "I look at our audit as part of, if you like, a mid-term course-correction... And what the audit did was uncover for us some opportunities to ensure that we can contain costs, and that [VANOC CEO] John Furlong can move ahead with confidence that we've got the resources behind him and the systems behind [him] that he needs to make sure this is an exciting sporting event for Canada, not a debate over construction costs."

Furlong, who was in Ottawa to announce the sponsorship of the Games by the Royal Canadian Mint, in turn, told CanWest that he remains "hopeful" the government will approve the request "within a month", but he said that it won't affect this year's construction program if it doesn't. VANOC has split the main part of its venue-construction program over 2006 and 2007.

"I had a discussion with minister Emerson," Furlong reportedly told O'Neil. "My sense is the minister is working hard to get this through and I am hoping, hoping, that we'll have some positive news within 30 days... I am not even going to think of what we might or might not do if the news comes later."

At the time of applying for the additional capital funding last November, VANOC said it needed a decision "within two months" or it would not be able to complete the full Olympics construction program.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 23, 2006

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Business| #1751
BELL CANADA EXTENDS CANADIAN PARALYMPIC TEAM SPONSORSHIP DEAL THROUGH TO 2012

Bell Canada has reached a deal to extend its support of Canadian Paralympic teams through to 2012.
Linda Low, the Associate Director of Corporate Communications says the arrangement "is part of Bell's overall commitment to Canadian sport, high performance, and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The amount of the deal was not released.

Under the deal and for the first time as a Team Sponsor, Bell Canada will provide the Canadian Paralympic Committee with a mix of financial and in-kind services. Bell's previous involvement has included supporting team development and communications programs, such as the Athens 2004 Paralympic Spokespersons Team.

Last year, Bell activated a part of its C$200 million sponsorship deal with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) by confirming its participation as founding sponsor of the Own The Podium 2010 program. One of the program's goals is to put Canada among the top three nations at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 22, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1750
WHISTLER THE FOCUS OF ATHLETES CENTRE DESIGN PROCESS, WSC CONSTRUCTION OFFCE AND VILLAGE HEARINGS

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) is asking architectural firms interested in bidding on the design of the Whistler Athlete Centre to contact it by July 5. It will develop a short list of three interested firms, and offer them a formal request for Proposals.

The Athletes Centre, which will be adjacent to the Whistler Olympic Village and will be built of timber, will be used as part of the Village venue during the 2010 Games, and then turned over to the community after March 2010 to be a permanent building that will provide accommodation and training facilities for high-performance athletes.

The Athlete Centre has three major sections. The first section incorporates about 20 town homes of various sizes with between two and four bedrooms each, with garages and storage space to allow for long-term housing for an athlete and their family. The second section is about 90 small hostel-style units for athletes staying only a few days. These two areas will be served by a central kitchen and recreation room at ground level and associated parking as required by the Resort Municipality of Whisstler, with the possibility of underground parking as an option.

The third section of the Centre incorporates a free-weight training gymnasium for community people
and high-performance athletes, multi-purposes rooms that could be set up for classrooms or studios, a reception area, change rooms for men and women with an optional sauna or spa, various sports and fitness-testing rooms, some office and some laboratory-style spaces for fitness testing and recovery equipment.

VANOC is also asking for companies interested in bidding on a relatively small contract for supplying a portable, 195 square metre (2,100 square foot) construction office at the Whistler Sliding Centre north of Whistler. VANOC prefers a single 11 metre by 18 metre (36’ x 60’) trailer, but is willing to look at other suggestions. The offer closes June 28. Heating will be by propane or electric power. Other firms will add stairs and decks. The office building will be needed for 20 months, from no later than the end of next month to March, 2008. The agreement will also require the contractor to fully remove the building and its accouterments at the end of the project. The opportunity closes on June 28.

Meanwhile, Whistler, which is nearly finished going through its own standard regulatory process for allowing development of the 2010 Whistler Olympics Village, which will surround the Athlete Centre, now has all the remaining components in place to complete the Village project, with an C$11 million contingency and the ability to see up to 15% of the legacy housing at market rates should the project go over budget.

The project is currently budgeting to sell only 10% of the 300 housing units at market rates; the balance will go to help house the municipality's business employees. The Resort Municipality is holding an official public hearing today and will present the third and final reading of the development bylaw to the next Council meeting. The BC government last month agreed to set up a process that would allow Whistler, and other resorts like it, to apply for more funds from the government's hotel tax, and that will be used by Whistler to help pay for the overall cost of the Olympic Village, which will be more than the contribution given it by VANOC. There will also be an increase in the contribution coming from VANOC. Permanent housing units will be built to accommodate the 5,200 Olympians and Paralymians expected to take part in the Games in 2010.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 22, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC, IOC| #1749
FURLONG GIVES STATUS REPORT TO IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD BY VIDEO CONFERENCE

The IOC executive committee heard in a closed-door session from the 2010 Winter Olympics executive and other Games organizing committees from across the globe today. VANOC CEO John Furlong and the others made their presentations on the current state of their games by video conference to the 15-member Executive Board who were meeting in IOC's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

They were were able to speak directly to Furlong and the other OCOG leaders in Beijing, Vancouver and London.

The Board also heard staff reports from different IOC departments, including as Marketing, Technology, Legal Affairs, International Cooperation and Development, the Olympic Museum, Finance & Administration, Communications, as well as the TV Rights and New Media Commission.

Furlong, an IOC spokesman said later, discussed the current progress of venue construction, the results that VANOC is having in sponsorship, the status of Canada's “Own The Podium” project that is now helping Canadian athletes ahead of 2010, and of VANOC’s desire to "create a memorable spectator experience."

Furlong, the spokesman said, also commented on the "positive experience" that VANOC staff had when they participated in the IOC’s Observer Program during the Torino Games last February and March, and how it would "undoubtedly stand them in good stead as they organized the Games for 2010." He also spoke, said the IOC representative "about VANOC’s delight in hosting the official Torino 2006 debrief this July, where the Turin Games will be analysed and the lessons passed on to VANOC, BOCOG, LOCOG and the three cities in the running for 2014."

IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Rene Fasel reportedly told the Executive Board how impressed the 2010 Commission, which Fasel chairs, had been during its visit to Vancouver this month, but he reminded the executive that "there was still a long way to go."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 22, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1748

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

IOC PICKS THREE OF SIX CITIES AS FINALISTS FOR 2014 WINTER GAMES

The 15-member International Olympic Committee executive have approved Salzburg, Austria -- a postcard Alpine city; Pyeongchang, South Korea -- an east-Asian sports centre -- and Sochi, Russia, a mountain resort on the Black Sea, for the final competition to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Eliminated from the race were Almaty, Kazakhstan; Borjomi, Georgia; Jaca, Spain and Sofia, Bulgaria. The cities have now paid a US$500,000 fee to cover the costs to the IOC of the bidding process, and will be required to submit their formal bid books by January 2007. Salzburg finished first in the IOC's preliminary technical ratings. The full IOC assembly, which has more than 100 members, are to select the host city finalist in Guatemala City on July 4, 2007. Pyeongchang was narrowly beaten by a come--from-behind Vancouver for the 2010 Games when it was finally chosen in 2003 by the full IOC; Salzburg was third in that election. The winning city will be incorporated into VANOC's planning, particularly for part of its closing ceremony, but all three cities will have representatives in Vancouver when VANOC hosts the Torino debriefing at its headquarters from July 10 to 15. VANOC CEO John Furlong, who has been through the bidding process, says, "Winning the right to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is one of the most challenging journeys any team could face and we have great respect for the 2014 Candidate Cities who have worked tirelessly to achieve this milestone," Furlong said in a statement.

LEADERS OF WASHINGTON STATE AND BC URGE DELAY OF BORDER CHANGES TO AFTER 2010

Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell have urged their national governments in a joint letter to delay a requirement for passports at border crossings until after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler. The first phase of a two-phase program authored by the United States that requires passports at the Canadian border is due to come into effect on January 1 for ferries and aircraft, and one year later for people travelling in cars. The joint letter said the state and province are volunteering to come up with a better identification system, such as an encrypted driver's license or personal ID card that would be cheaper and provide greater security screening. The letter is part of an intense lobbying effort by provinces and northern border states over the issue for several years, but it has so far failed to garner sufficient American support for further delay.

SUMMER OLYMPICS COVERAGE TO SWELL IN SEPTEMBER

Expect a lot of Summer Olympics news stories in late September. The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, which is constructing the 2008 Summer Games, will hold its first world press briefing from September 25 to the 29 in the Chinese capital city. This is the first time an open invitation has been extended to the world's press to visit Beijing in order to review the preparations China is making to host the 21,600 accredited media who will cover those Games. Although the briefing is primarily for news management, there will be reporters involved. VANOC expects to host something similar a year or two out, but no dates or planning has yet been done.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 22, 2006

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1747
VANCOUVER CHOSES AMERICAN FIRM TO DEVELOP PUBLIC ART PLAN FOR OLYMPIC VILLAGE AREA

The City of Vancouver has chosen the Seattle-based company, 4Culture, to develop the public art plan for the Southeast False Creek area, which includes the new 2010 Winter Olympic Village section. The budget for the project is C$28,000.

Two executives of 4Culture is the same company -- Cath Brunner and Barbara Luecke -- just recently finished producing a similar plan for the City of Richmond's Olympic speedskating oval sports complex. A third member of the firm has worked in Vancouver before. Buster Simpson, an artist, produced "Brush with Illumination", a public art piece commissioned by Concord Pacific, a company developing the land along the north side of False Creek, northwest of the Olymic Village. His art is located in the waters on the north side of False Creek.

4Culture, a cultural-services agency that was part of King County government in Washington State until 2003, when it became an independent public corporation, was awarded a C$79,400 contract by Richmond.

Bryan Newson, the City's Public Art Program Manager, says the plan "is intended to empower the SEFC neighbourhood to shape its physical environment into a place that reflects common values and unique insights. Working with architects, planners, and the SEFC Public Realm design team, 4Culture will identify opportunities for public art throughout the area."

And, he says, the whole public art program tries "to incorporate contemporary art practices into city planning and development. The program funds art-making of many kinds, from single-artist commissions to artist collaborations with engineers, designers and communities. The intent is to provide for the creation of art that expresses the spirit, values, visions, and 'poetry of place' that collectively define Vancouver."

The City wants 4Culture to complete the plan by the end of the year. Once completed, it's expected that components of the plan, once approved, would be offered as competitions to artists.

RESOURCES

Southeast False Creek is a 32-hectare site of City-owned and privately-owned land between Main Street and Cambie, and bounded by False Creek on the north and 2nd Avenue on the south. The area is being redeveloped as a mixed-use "sustainable" community. The City-owned land will be home to the Vancouver Olympic Village for athletes and officials during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Starting in April, 2010, the area will be changed into what the City hopes will be "a model sustainable development based on environmental, social and economic principles where people will live, work, play, and learn." By 2018, it's expected the area will house between 12,000 and 16,000 people.

RESOURCES

The City of Vancouver's web page dealiing with public art:
www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/oca/publicart/

4Culture's staff page:
www.4culture.org/staff.htm

Our earlier report on Richmond's public art plan:
'Richmond to spend more than C$5 million on Olympic speedskating oval public art' [Morgan:News:2010:Number:1685; Published on Wednesday, May 24, 2006]

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 21, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1746

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

PRINCE GEORGE SWITCHES ICE FOCUS TO SPEEDSKATING SUPPORT

Prince George, one of the British Columbian cities which is actively marketing itself as a place for national Olympic teams to train for the 2010 Winter Games, says the decision that 2010 hockey tournaments will be played on North American-sized ice sheets only changes the "validity" of just one of its marketing points. Initiatives Prince George's president, Gerry Offet, says that the international size of the city's Canadian National Centre's ice sheet "is still an excellent training facility for short track speekskaters, who will be competing on the larger dimension ice at the Pacific Coliseum because it's too dangerout to race on anything smaller." As for hockey, Offet says the city may have lost a competitive advantage, but that doesn't necessarily rule out attracting some teams to Prince George. "I don't think it means we don't stand a chance, it's just that one of our selling points not longer has the same validity." Initiatives spokesmen says that Prince George will continue "to aggressively market its training capacity in the five winter Olympic sports: cross country skiing, long- and short-track speedskating, biathlon, men's and women's hockey, and curling. As well, Prince George is also able to host Paralympic athletes to train in biathlon, Nordic skiiing, sledge hockey and wheelchair curling.

BC OLYMPIC SECRETARIAT SEEKS BUSINESS-EVENT PLANNERS...

The BC Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat, which is the bureaucracy that supervises and co-ordinates the BC Government's section of the 2010 Games and operates the 2010 Commerce Centre, is asking firms interested in being shortlisted for various services dealing with business-event planning and management. Those applying will be ranked by the Secretariat staff, and the top 10 will be offered individual-event contracts on an “as, if and when requested basis.” The application window closes July 7.

...AND BUSINESS WRITERS

The Secretariat is also looking for business writers on the same basis. Katherine Caughran, who is supervising the procurement says, "...The content will be all about business. If there are businesses involved in sport, that could be relevant, but sport-related or Olympic-related writing is not." The Secretariat wants people who are able to provide various business-writing services for the Commerce Centre bi-monthly newsletter, as well as for news articles, fact sheets, brochures and the like. The window for that closes on July 6. And, yes, there are application forms to fill out for both offers.

RESOURCES

Prince George's website that outlines the city's marketing for national Olympic teams around the world:

www.TrainInPG.com

--

BC Olympic Secretariat contact info:

Layle Larusson
Procurement Specialist (for the business event & planning offer)

Katherine Caughran
Procurement Specialist (for the business writing offer)

Purchasing Services Branch
c/o 2nd Floor 563 Superior Street
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1T7

Fax: (+1) (250) 387-7309
E-Mail: pcadmin@gov.bc.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 21, 2006

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1745
ROYAL CANADIAN MINT TO SUPPLY ATHLETES MEDALS, COINAGE IN C$15 MILLION "SUPPORTER" DEAL

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) has signed a seven-year, C$15 million deal with the Royal Canadian Mint to become its second Official Supporter. The deal allows the Mint to have VANOC marketing rights in exchange for suppling various types of minting to VANOC, and that includes making the athlete medals for the 2010 Games.

The Mint, which has operations in Ottawa and Winnipeg, will be minting various categories of items. Including coins for circulation in the Canadian money supply, with some using precious metals and others using base metals, some will be used for collectors, and there are bullion coin products and services as well.

The agreement, which runs until December 31, 2012, provides the Mint with Official Supporter rights for both the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, as well as rights for the Canadian Olympic Teams that are going to the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Games.

The includes $2 million worth of in-kind goods and services. The Mint will produce the gold, silver and bronze athlete medals for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In addition, over the next several years, the Mint will offer circulation and numismatic coins and other related products to help promote the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games across Canada.

Ian E. Bennett, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, says his organization has an international reputation "for its excellence, innovation and high quality - all of which are characteristics that will embody the corporation's Olympic program."

John Furlong, VANOC CEO, says that, "Thanks to the Mint's variety of circulation and collector coins, every single Canadian will have the unique opportunity to physically touch and collect a piece of the Game. In 2010, many of the most stirring moments will be when medals produced by the Mint are draped around the necks of many of the world's greatest athletes."

David Emerson, minister responsible for the the federal government's portion of the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics notes that the coinage and other materials produced by the Mint will have national marketing implications for VANOC. "The momentum is building... Soon Canadians will be seeing the Mint's coins in circulation featuring the Games, as well as other commemorative products."

The Mint is the second organization in the Supporter Category, which is the second tier of VANOC's sponsorships. It signed the BC Lottery Corporation to a similar C$15 million deal about six months ago.

RESOURCES

Our story last week about the Mint:
'Canadian Mint to produce unusual $25 Olympic coin for collections'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:1733; Published on Tuesday, June 13, 2006]

RESOURCES
The website of the Royal Canadian Mint
www.mint.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 20, 2006

Monday, June 19, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #1744
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HIRES SENIOR BC CONSULTANT FIRM TO REVIEW VANOC CONSTRUCTION DECISIONS

One of the reasons the federal government has taken so long to decide whether to give the 2010 Games an additional C$55 million is that Ottawa has been conducting an investigation into the organizing committee's construction practices.

Pacific Liaicon & Associates of the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby fielded a team of several senior construction consultants, led by the company's chairman, Henry H. Wakabayashi, which completed a detailed construction-practices investigation of the Committee about a month ago.

The 36-year-old project-management firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Inc, was hired through the office of federal Olympics minister David Emerson. Wakabayashi confirmed his firm was involved and said the review was part of the federal government's due-diligence look at the Committee's construction file, but said it would be too strong to call it an audit. He declined further comment, however, instead referring additional questions to the federal government.

Wakabayashi, who is a recipient of the Order of British Columbia, has more than 40 years of experience in engineering and project management, and is involved in the Vancouver International Airport Expansion project, among several others. His company, based in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, was also one of the 86 Friends of the 2010 Bid Corporation, a second level of contributors above the Donors level but below the Community Contributor section.

The comptroller for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC), John McLaughlin, confirmed the federal investigation took place at VANOC headquarters in April and May, and also said it was part of the federal government's process of due diligence, which VANOC has said publicly several times was underway and would be expected as a result of VANOC's request for more money. McLaughlin said the investigation was also designed to ensure that VANOC would not need to make a request for a second round of additional funding later.

However, such an investigation was clearly not expected when VANOC submitted its request for funding to Ottawa last November. At that time, VANOC forwarded a full binder of material to Ottawa in support of the request, saying that it needed to have a decision within two months because of construction timing issues that threatened to put two of its major projects, the Whistler Nordic Centre and the Whistler Sliding Centre "at risk" of being curtailed.

VANOC -- shouldering a significant, industry-wide issue with construction-cost inflation conservatively estimated at 40% since 2002 -- cut the scope of its projects and found more efficient ways to build them, but still needed to request C$55 million each from the BC and the federal governments to top up the capital budget to C$580 million, including a C$36.1 million contingency. The two governments, through the restricted-use capital budget administered by VANOC, have agreed to equally fund the construction of specific Olympic venues, although the federal government, for various reasons is still behind BC in contributing funds to that account.

VANOC's request for more money to the BC government was made last October, and the request to the federal government was made the following month. BC earlier indicated it will agree to the additional funding, but only to the extent of Ottawa's approval. As a result, VANOC has been forced to proceed with the first year of its three-year major construction effort assuming it will receive the additional funds, but, so far, its senior executives say that they have only committed to projects that account for two-thirds of that budget, about C$386 million.

In part, the delay has been due to the differences in the way the BC government and the federal government accounting systems work. The BC government, in working out its funding for the Games, included a sizable contingency that took its overall envelope for the direct-host costs to a maximum of C$600 million. The federal government, however, did not set up a contingency, and so is partly treating the request as if it was a new project.

Other delays have occurred because the Liberal government was defeated about the time the VANOC request went to Ottawa, and the new Conservative government wasn't able to take power until February, and while Emerson, when he was a Liberal cabinet minister for BC, the main Olympic file was handled by his then-colleague, Stephen owen. Still, the timing means Pacific Liaicon's investigation started about two months after the Conservatives took power.

The Pacific Liaicon & Associates report has been completed, according to a spokesman for Emerson's office, but the report is still being analyzed as part of the information going into the decision as to whether Ottawa will agree with the funding request.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 19, 2006

Friday, June 16, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1743

Here are three more moguls we ran into today:

VANOC LINE OF CREDIT MAY NEED TO DOUBLE

VANOC Chief Financial Officer Rex McLennan says the organization may need to double its line of credit. At the moment, C$45 million of the organization's C$50 million line of credit is for working-capital requirements and other operational needs, while C$5 million is for capital construction. But, says, McLennan, "Those facilities may be increased in future, depending on the outcome of our business planning, which is underway. It will identify the extent of our working-capital requirements....as a ballpark figure, I would say that on the order of C$100 million is probably normal for an organizing committee, and I would expect [our credit expansion] would be in that order of magnitude." McLennan says the need for the line of credit comes from the imbalance between the costs that VANOC is incurring and which will grow as the Games progress, and the uneven nature and timing of funds coming in from sponsors. Those, he says, "tend to be lumpy receipts, but we need to have some capacity to manage that.... The [current] lines are floating-rate based on inter-bank or prime rates. Generally speaking, they are prime less 10 basis points." Other major revenue sources outside of sponsorships, which include funds from the sale of national broadcast rights, are ticket sales and the retail sales of branded items. VANOC was into its line of credit by about C$26 million as of the last quarterly report, to the end of April.

VANOC NO LONGER PUTTING UP WITH CANADIAN EXCHANGE RATE HIKE

McLennan also says that the next major business plan for VANOC, expected to be finalized in four to six months, will be based on the then-current US dollar and Euro exchange rates, "with an overlay of hedge positions." The 2002 Bid plan was based on a US dollar at a rate of C$1.55, one of the lowest exchange rates Canada has experienced in many years, but it is now hovering around the C$1.13 mark, and has appreciated quite strongly in the past year (the Euro is currently worth about C$1.42). McLennan says the hedge positions strategy is to guarantee minimum exchange rates. "We're not, as an organizing committee, willing to take much downside risk, from this point onward, on the Canadian dollar. We're going to protect it, so if the Canadian dollar appreciates significantly in the future, we will be protected by our hedge positions." According to VANOC's quarterly report, VANOC’s policy is to "formally designate each derivative financial instrument as a hedge of specific net future cash flows in foreign currencies, and to document, both at inception and over the term of the instrument, the effectiveness of the hedging relationship. Gains and losses on financial instruments designated as cash-flow hedges are recognized on settlement in the same period as the underlying hedged transactions." VANOC says it's not involved in specultative trading; instead, it's following a standard Canadian accounting principle, Accounting Guideline 13, which details how hedging is to be identified, designated and documented, and how its effectiveness is to be tracked.

RISK AND CONTINGENCY TO BE BUILT INTO FALL'S 2010 BUSINESS PLAN

McLennan says that as the business planning continues, VANOC will keep its eye on risk and the amount of contingency it needs to prepare and operate the Games. "We will continue to maintain some degree of contingency over all, and we'll manage within that contingency. That's one of the measures in the planning to manage risk." McLennan says that the contingencies won't be built up on a project-by-project basis, however. The final contingency amount built into this year's business plan will be constructed once all the project amounts and risks are integrated. VANOC has 51 functional areas, and each one contributes to the construction of the final business plan. "As we go through the summer, we will be refining those, and when we get into the fall, we'll be in a position to review them."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 16, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC, Government| #1742
2010 COMMITTEE ASKS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR TOUGHER OLYMPIC BRAND-PROTECTION LAWS

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) has started negotiations with the federal government to have it approve brand-protection legislation for Olympic emblems and marks in the lead-up, during and after the 2010 Games.

VANOC CEO John Furlong says the legislation "will be unique to Canada; it'll be unique to our situation. Time will tell exactly what it will look like. We'll be asking for legislation that covers our particular circumstances, which will, perhaps, be different from that of other countries, at least a little bit."

The British government has already approved such legislation for the London Olympic Organizing Committee, which is building the 2012 Summer Olympics. VANOC, as has been the case with other Organizing Committees, promised to protect the Olympic brand and VANOC-branded clothing and hardgoods from knock-offs, ambush marketing and other types of commercial piracy, and legislation is just one component of that promise's implementation.

Most industrialized countries, including Canada, already has commercial legislation that deals with brand protection, but the new law would be specific to the Olympic brands, and be much more nimble. "We're looking for an upgrade in the existing legislation that would help us properly manage and protect the Olympic brand to the standard that's expected of us."

The executive vice-president of Revenue, Marketing and Communications for VANOC, Dave Cobb, "The main intent is to put legislation in place that allows us to immediately stop infringements on our brand. If we're to rely on the system as it is now, if somebody inappropriately uses our mark, it could take a long time to stop it, going through the court system. The legislation that we're looking to put in place, which is the same as was in place during the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976... is to give us an immediate opportunity to stop the infringement. It would just be for Olympic intellectual property."

VANOC also hopes to have the law in place so it could use it to also "prevent or reduce ambush marketing of its sponsors during the period leading up to the Beijing Summer Games."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 16, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC, Government| #1741
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING DELAY DUE IN PART TO INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF VANOC CONSTRUCTION DECISIONS

One of the reasons the federal government has taken so long to decide whether to give the 2010 Games an additional C$55 million is that Ottawa has been conducting an investigation into the organizing committee's construction practices.

Pacific Liaicon & Associates of the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby fielded a team of several senior construction consultants, led by the company's chairman, Henry H. Wakabayashi, which completed a detailed construction-practices investigation of the Committee about a month ago.

The 36-year-old project-management firm, a wholly owned subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Inc, was hired through the office of federal Olympics minister David Emerson. Wakabayashi confirmed his firm was involved and said the review was part of the federal government's due-diligence look at the Committee's construction file, but said it would be too strong to call it an audit. He declined further comment, however, instead referring further questions to the federal government.

Wakabayashi, who is a recipient of the Order of British Columbia, has more than 40 years of experience in engineering and project management, and is involved in the Vancouver International Airport Expansion project, among several others. His company, based in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, was also one of the Friends of the 2010 Bid Corporation, a level of contributors above donors but below the Community Contributor section.

The comptroller for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC), John McLaughlin, confirmed the federal investigation took place at VANOC headquarters in April and May, and also said it was part of the federal government's process of due diligence, which VANOC has said publicly several times would be expected as a result of VANOC's request for more money. McLaughlin said the investigation was also designed to ensure that VANOC would not need to make a request for a second round of additional funding later.

VANOC -- shouldering a significant, industry-wide issue with construction-cost inflation conservatively estimated at 40% since 2002 -- cut the scope of its projects and found more efficient ways to build them, but still needed to request C$55 million each from the BC and the federal governments to top up the capital budget to C$580 million, including a C$36.1 million contingency. The two governments, through the restricted-use capital budget administered by VANOC, have agreed to equally fund the construction of specific Olympic venues, although the federal government, for various reasons is still behind BC in contributing funds to that account.

VANOC's request for more money to the BC government was made last October, and the request to the federal government was made the following month. BC earlier indicated it will agree to the additional funding, but only to the extent of Ottawa's approval. As a result, VANOC has been forced to proceed with the first year of its three-year major construction effort assuming it will receive the additional funds, but, so far, its senior executives say that they have only committed to projects that account for two-thirds of that budget, about C$386 million.

In part, the delay has been due to the differences in the way the BC government and the federal government accounting systems work. The BC government, in working out its funding for the Games, included a sizable contingency that took its overall envelope for the direct-host costs to a maximum of C$600 million. The federal government, however, did not set up a contingency, and so is partly treating the request as if it was a new project.

Other delays have occurred because the Liberal government was defeated about the time the VANOC request went to Ottawa, and the new Conservative government wasn't able to take power until February, and while Emerson, when he was a Liberal cabinet minister for BC, the main Olympic file was handled by his then-colleague, Stephen owen. Still, the timing means Pacific Liaicon's investigation started about two months after the Conservatives took power.

The Pacific Liaicon & Associates report has been completed, according to a spokesman for Emerson's office, but the is still being analyzed as part of the information going into the decision as to whether Ottawa will agree with the funding request.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 16, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1740

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

RICHMOND TO HIRE ENVIROMENTAL WATCHDOG FOR OLYMPIC OVAL

The City of Richmond is in the process of hiring a consulting firm to monitor the environmental effects of building the huge sports complex on the banks of the Fraser River that will house the 2010 Olympics long-track speedskating oval. The firm, which will have the authority to order the construction manager to stop work if there's a sufficient environmental threat, will start its job when construction crews begin removing the tons of pre-load sand that's currently on the site to remove ground settlement. That's scheduled to start on Monday, July 6. The monitoring will continue, with the firm supplying regular reports to staff at the City of Richmond, until October 31, 2008. The project is scheduled for substantial completion in July, 2008, and total completion by that September, but the monitoring will continue a month longer as there will still be some final landscaping underway. Companies thinking about applying for the work need to have their applications into Richmond City Hall by Friday, June 30.

WASHINGTON STATE CONSTRUCTION SUGGESTS 2010 IS PART OF INDUSTRY MANPOWER SHORTAGES

The Seattle and Puget Sound-area construction business is booming, just as it is in the Greater Vancouver area, but the difference is that the American side is saying their in competition with the construction demands of the 2010 Winter Games. Seattle reports that permit applications for new construction were nearly US$100 million in April, a record for the largest dollar amount in a single month. Mark Martinez, executive secretary of the Pierce County Building and Construction Trades Council, said the South Sound area lacks skilled trade workers, from roofers and carpenters to people who drive heavy equipment. "I hear that from employers who call the union hall looking for workers," he said. "There's a lack of qualified folks for a lot of projects that are going on." Retiring baby boomers account for some people leaving the work force. Construction projects for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are siphoning other skilled workers from Seattle and north across the border, Martinez said. Brad Sayre, vice president of preconstruction for Absher Construction in Puyallup. "The only thing that is limiting us from going after more of what's available is the lack of (workers), more in the management area than in the trades, but trades aren't far behind."

FURLONG OFFERS CHILDREN A WAY TO FOCUS ON GOALS

"Do you have a dream? If you do, write it down, put it up on your bedroom wall and look at it every day." That was the message from VANOC CEO John Furlong as he spoke to the children at Royal Heights Elementary School in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver yesterday during a school assembly. It was the annual launch of a series of runs sponsored by the canadian section of Olympic international sponsor, McDonald's Restaurants.

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 16, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1739
THE CALL IS OUT FOR COMPANIES INTERESTED IN PRODUCING 2010-BRANDED HARDGOODS, NOVELTIES AND SOUVENIRS

From belts to whistles -- and a whole lot of hardgoods in between -- the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) has started one of its most important processes for business since it began operations.

It is asking for Canadian-based companies to contact it by July 7 if they are interested in bidding on producing and distributing 42 categories of hardgoods, novelties and souvenirs that will carry the 2010 Olympic brands under a royalty-based licensing system, and which will eventually be sold in retail stores throughout Canada.

These items include such things as 2010-branded board games, Christmas decorations, flashlights, key chains, lunch buckets, mugs, mouse pads -- even dog tags -- to name just a few. But the call also excludes 26 categories of products -- bobbleheads, jewelry, coins, cell phones, to name just a few -- because they are either being dealt with separately, or will be the subject of future group deals.

In addition, the companies that end up with VANOC licensing arrangements will also have the option of supplying these items to VANOC's corporate sponsors, government connections, third-party direct-marketing firms that VANOC will eventually sign up, and suppliers, so they can use them internally or for marketing purposes.

VANOC says it wants to produce its branded licensed items within what it calls "an environment of controlled commercialization." And, it says, "In order to ensure this aim is met, VANOC is 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." A few months ago, it issued a similar call for soft goods, primarily clothing.

Companies that are interested in being involved in the hardgoods process -- and VANOC is expecting dozens of firms to let it know they are -- will first be evaluated to see how well they match VANOC's initial criteria -- basically it wants firms to be as all-encompassing as possible -- and the list will be winnowed down to about 30 companies. These firms will get a much more detailed request about July 24, and will then need to provide much more detailed plans, offers on how much of a royalty percentage they are willing to offer, as well as detailed distribution and financial documentation, so that a team of VANOC staffers can select the firm, or firms, that will be awarded licensing contracts. The contracts will be good until December 31, 2010.

VANOC says all of its brands, from those that now exist to those that it creates, can be added to the items by the winners of the contracts, except for those connected with its torch-relay program, which will be handled separately. Although VANOC works closely with the Canadian Olympic Committee, that organization's brands can't be used.

On the other hand, the marks that can be used in addition to VANOC's own emblems include the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic mascots -- which are due to be created in 2007 -- Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic pictograms -- which are used as way-markers in and around the 2010 venues -- and marks relating to the Vancouver 2010 Arts, Cultural and Environmental Olympiads, which are all programs related to the Olympics, but which have yet to be flushed out.

There are also a couple of types of firms that needn't bother submitting a request for consideration. They include big retailers, because VANOC's corporate sponsor, HBC, already has that category. Also in the needn't-bother group: any sporting-goods retail stores or general-merchandise retail stores that carry a similarly wide number and variety of product lines, or any specialty retailer which has previously held licensing rights to produce apparel, team uniforms and merchandise bearing Canadian Olympic Committee marks.

The terms of the licenses could be full -- that is, one deal right through to the end of 2010, including sell-off rights -- or partial. That might mean a deal that's renewable annually. VANOC might also choose some licensees to produce a broad range of hardgoods, novelty and souvenir products for all of its target consumer groups, or it might select licensees to produce only particular products, and it might also choose firms that are targeted only to particular consumer groups, such as just men, women, or children.

RESOURCES

If you make the "Top 30" of firms selected to get a detailed request for proposal, you can expect to be asked to provide VANOC with information such as:

A forecast of projected sales of licensed products during the term of the license;

A comprehensive marketing plan for the licensed products, including a proposed rollout plan by distribution channel -- such as specialty stores, souvenir, gift, tourist, duty-free, sports stores, general retail stores and that sort of thing -- to be implemented during the term of the license;

A financial proposal in connection with the licensed products, including a royalty structure and any advance on signing, and minimum guarantees to be paid to VANOC during the term of the license;

A demonstrated record of actions taken to ensure brand protection and anti-piracy;

A demonstrated ability to make the licensed products according to what VANOC terms, "a high ethical standard, social responsibility and sustainability, and a willingness and commitment to fully participate in VANOC’s sustainability program including evaluation and audit activities." VANOC will provide detailed documentation in the request for proposal about what it means by sustainability and ethical standards.

---

The categories of products INCLUDED in this call to companies:

Baby accessories (such as pacifiers, baby bottles, sippy cups)

Bells

Belt Buckles

Board Games

Bottle Openers

Business Card Holders

Christmas decorations

Coasters and Placemats

Collectible Plates

Dog Tags

Figurines

Flashlights

Gift Tins

Glassware (excludes premium sales)

Key Chains

Lanyards

Luggage Tags

Lunchboxes

Magnets (Refrigerator, Frame)

Money Clips

Mouse Pads

Mugs (ceramic, Porcelain, for example)

Non prescription sunglasses

Organizers / day planners

Paperweights

Pens, Pencils and erasers

Pet leashes and accessories

Picture Frames and Photo Albums

Playing Cards

Pucks

Puzzles

Reusable water bottles

Snack pails

Snow Brush and Scrapers

Snow globe

Souvenir tea spoons

Travel Mugs

Umbrellas

Wallets

Wastebaskets

Welcome Mats

Whistles

---

The categories of products specifically EXCLUDED from this call, but there may be others:

Bobbleheads

Bumper Stickers and Strips

Buttons

Calendars

Cell phone / PDA accessories

Coins and Medallions

Decals, Clings and Stickers

Flags, Banners and windsocks

Hard Hats

Helmets, Multi-sport (for bikes, snowboarding, skateboarding or rollerblading)

Jewellery (precious metal or costume) including rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, timepieces

Lapel Pins and Accessories

License Plates and Frames

Pennants

Postage stamps

Postcards

Posters

Rooter Pom-poms

Seat Cushions

Stick Flags

Tattoos

Thunder-sticks

Timepieces, including watches and clocks

Tokens

Toys including Plush

Wristbands

--

RESOURCES

Jim Bornholdt,
Manager, VANOC Procurement
3585 Graveley Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5K 5J5, Canada
Telephone: (+1) 778.328.2010
Facsimile: (+1) 778-328-2011
E-mail: procurement@vancouver2010.com

The expression-of-interest document that provides all the details of the process is EOI NO. L2010-05. It's available for downloading from BC's electronic tendering system, BC Bid, at:
www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 16, 2006

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #1738

Here are three moguls we ran into today:

VANOC SEEKS SKI-LIFT CONTRACTORS

A new phase of the construction work near the 2010 Whistler Nordic Centre in the Callaghan Valley southwest of Whistler opens today with VANOC asking contractors to propose how they would design and build the chairlift for the temporary ski jump. VANOC wants four stations built: a base station, 2 mid-stations and top station. The stations will be located on the south side of the ski jump. The work involves clearing and roughly grading the areas for the tower foundations and under the lift alignment, temporary construction access, designing and building the tower foundations, the towers, arranging for and installing the lift mechanical and electrical systems and chairs, incorporating communications and lighting; designing and building the passenger-loading sitefacilities and commissioning. The project also includes providing spare parts, manuals and doing the training. The closing date for responding to the RFP at VANOC's headquarters in Vancouver is June 29.

CODE 39, WHERE ARE YOU?

Potential suppliers of barcode readers and tags have only about a week to respond to a VANOC request for a company to supply at least four readers and two types of Code 39 tags, to help VANOC keep track of its assets. The organization wants the barcode tags, which look like the kind of thing found on supermarket items, in two colours so it can distinguish visually between an asset that is owned, and one that is leaded. The portable readers have to be rugged enough that they can survive being dropped from about chest height, and they have to be able to talk to VANOC's asset-tracking database, which is a module of Microsoft's Navision. The company that wins the contract needs to provide the readers and tags by August, and the contract will go through the end of the Games, in March, 2010. VANOC says it may need more barcode readers next year, but at the moment, four are enough. Companies only have until June 23 to respond to VANOC's purchasing department at its Vancouver headquarters.

TSN, CANADIAN CURLING ASSOCIATION REACH DEAL THAT INCLUDES 2010 RUN-UP

Canada's The Sports Network (TSN) says today that it and the Canadian Curling Association have reached a six-year broadcast and multi-media deal that will allow TSN to cover all of the curling competitions leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2009 Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials. The Trials involve a competition by teams across the country for the right to represent Canada at the 2010 Winter Games. The deal includes rights for broadband -- which will allow the national championships to be watched outside of Canada -- mobile, video-on-demand, interactive television, podcasts and radio broadcasts. The arrangement starts in 2008 and runs through the 2013/14 season. The value of the contract was not released. Les Harrison, the president of the World Curling Federation, says his organization "recognizes the value of securing long-term predictability in a broadcast partner and is very pleased that the CCA's agreement with TSN will span two Winter Olympic Games."

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 15, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1737
COMMISSIONING AGENT SOUGHT FOR HILLCREST 2010 CURLING VENUE

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) has begun looking for a company to act as commissioning agent starting in August for the new Hillcrest Curling Venue it's building in conjunction with the Vancouver Parks Board at a budget for VANOC of C$37.1 million.

The point of a commissioning agent shifts during the course of a project's construction. The agency starts by reviewing designs as they're produced by others and, as construction proceeds and machinery, software and other technical systems are ordered and installed in the project, the firm ensures it all works properly. When it's time to start up the project, the job supervises the commissioning of the project before it's used, then monitors and reviews all the procedures and processes for two years afterward.

The curling venue is being built at the same time, and adjacent to, a new swimming pool being built by the Parks Board and the City of Vancouver, and they'll share heating and cooling systems. VANOC has promised the IOC to build the curling venue to a LEED Silver standard for environmental reasons. The Parks Board wants to build the pool to LEED Gold standards, and it wants VANOC to bring the curling venue up to that standard as well. The commissioning agent's job, among many other things, is to help the two reconcile the standards within the project, while keeping within VANOC's budget. VANOC has already spent C$219,000 for a geotechnical review and curling rink pump testing during its current fiscal year to the end of April, as part of the heating, it hopes, is to come from an underground geo-thermal field.

Companies who want to be considered for the job need to apply to VANOC by June 27.

RESOURCES

Initial site planning studies, functional programming and a re-zoning process have begun; the schematic design was finished in April. The start of construction is scheduled for next March with substantial completion of the Olympic Venue in October 2008. A part of the arena will be converted to a community centre after the 2010 Games are finished in March that year, with a target for completing the conversion in early 2011.

VANOC and the Vancouver Parks Board have hired Hughes Condon Marler Architects to design the curling facility. Reads Jones Christoffersen is the structural consultant, Stantec Consulting is the mechanical and electrical consultant, Hunter Laird is the civil consultant, Bunt Associates is the traffic consultant and BTY Group is the cost consultant.

The new facilities will be located in Riley Park in central Vancouver, next to Nat Bailey Stadium and the new Millennium Centre. The proposed size of the curling venue about 10,800 square meters (about 116,000 square feet) and the aquatic centre facility is about 5,200 square meters (about 56,000 square feet).

RESOURCES

The standards website for a LEED-designed building:
www.leedbuilding.org

Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on June 15, 2006

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Morgan:News:2010 |VANOC| #1736
PART 1 OF 2 -- A STATUS REPORT ON VANOC CONSTRUCTION

A 90-minute management discussion that opened up a wide range of details on the status of the 2010 Winter Olympics was one of the highlights that accompanied the release of the first public quarterly report by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) in Vancouver today.

This is part 1 of two reports on the information provided by VANOC about its status.

VANOC has provided quarterly summaries of its financial situation for the last couple of years to its Board of Directors and to senior BC and federal government officials, but this is the first time it's issued a formal public report, which covers its third fiscal quarter to April 30, comparing it with its second fiscal quarter and providing a nine-month status to put them in context. VANOC's year end is July 30. It's also the first time any Olympic organizing committee has done so, according to CEO John Furlong. The next quarterly report is expected in September. The annual audited financial report is expected in November.

Here are the highlights from the management discussion conference call, to which some of VANOC's executives and Board of Directors, as well as representatives of sponsors, government and the media listened. The call included comments from CEO John Furlong, CFO Rex McLennan, executive vice-president Terry Wright for construction, executive vice-president of Revenue, Marketing and Communications, Dave Cobb.

CFO REX McLENNAN:

Venue Budget: "I want everybody to know that from a financial and risk-management perspective, the venue budget [at C$580 million, which assumes full funding from BC and the federal governments] is in good shape. Actions to mitigate cost pressures have limited the increase in construction costs from the 2002 bid amount to 23%, about half of the increase experienced by the construction market's conditions in BC. About two-thirds of our venue-development budget is committed or spent. By the end of this calendar year, we will have committed or spent about C$415 million... C$348 million is budgeted for the venues that VANOC is responsible for constructing. We are carrying a budget contingency of C$36 million against this remaining exposure. This is an adequate amount for the stage that we are now at."

Business Plan: "We're in the middle of an in-depth, company-wide, business and operational planning process. This will benefit greatly from a week-long de-brief with the Torino Organizing Committee here in Vancouver in mid-July. This work will result in our second business plan and a detailed, comprehensive Games budget by the end of the year." This will be the first public business plan and budget; the first one, provided in June, 2005 to the BC and federal governments, as required by agreement in 2002, but it has never been made public as VANOC at the time didn't have sufficient information for it. It's also the first time that VANOC has suggested the second budget's time frame may be as late as December; earlier planning put it for release in September or October.

New Events for 2010: An analysis by VANOC is underway about the implications of adding five new sports events in luge, alpine and ski jumping. The International Olympic Committee's Program Commission will review the requests in September and make recommendations to the IOC Executive Board for a final decision in November.

As expected, the Torino Debriefing conference will include as observers representatives of the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in Beijing and London, and the 2014 Winter Olympic candidate cities.

-- EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF SERVICE OPERATIONS AND CEREMONIES, TERRY WRIGHT.

Wright was sitting in during the briefing for newly hired EVP Dan Doyle. Doyle replaces Steve Matheson, who was fired last month. Doyle, a retired deputy minister with the BC Government's Transportation ministry, and is "currently transitioning into full-time activity" with VANOC, and Wright is helping him with the transition.

For the first time, Wright provided venue-by-venue costing now that most of the contracts have been let. First, let's look at the 2006 construction program of venues constructed by others with VANOC financial contribution, with total VANOC-budget figures in millions of Canadian dollars:

-- UBC Winter Sports Centre ice hockey arena -- $37.6