Morgan:News:2010 |Government| #2556
WHISTLER BUDGETING C$18.5 MILLION ON PROGRAMMING CELEBRATION PLAZA, PLUS C$14.2 MILLION ON BUILDING AND CONVERTING IT
The resort municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is proposing to raise and spend C$18.5 million for the Games-time operations of its Celebration Plaza during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to raise and spend another C$14.2 million building it and then converting it after the Games to the "outdoor epicentre of performing arts in Whistler."
That compares to the City of Vancouver's planning, which calls for a total of C$23.2 million, including C$8.8 million in operations and C$14.4 million in hard expenses over two Live Site locations that are to be temporarily renovated for the events, and then generally returned to their original uses, one as a parking lot and the other as a public park.
The Plaza is scheduled to be built in 2008 and 2009, hold crowds of up to 8,000 at a time, and be one of the main centrepieces of the public's view of the 2010 Games in Whistler.
Almost all of VANOC's snow and sliding events are scheduled for areas around Whistler, and almost all of the Paralympics events are also to be held in the Whistler area. The nightly medal ceremonies for the Whistler-area events are scheduled to be held at the Celebration Plaza, in conjunction with TV network ties to ceremonial and cultural events via large-screen television broadcasting to similar locations at three locations in Vancouver and one in Richmond.
Assuming the application for Canadian government funding goes through -- it's assumed it will since Whistler says the Canadian Heritage ministry invited Whistler's application -- Whistler managers say they'll start spending the communications portion of the programming budget. According to the managers, "RMOW, the Whistler Arts Council, VANOC and Canadian Heritage will jointly develop a communication strategy and plan regarding the contribution from the Government of Canada to the Whistler Live Sites program.... RMOW, Whistler Arts Council and VANOC will develop a strategy and plan to continue to engage the community, communicate plans and progress for the Celebration Plaza and the programming of Whistler Live Sites."
Next, we'll have a look at how the operations and capital planning are to work, and what money is expected to be spent and for what.
[See BACKGROUND, below]
Operations [for the pro-forma, see BACKGROUND, below]
----------
Whistler managers will work with VANOC's Ceremonies and Cultural Olympiad departments and the Whistler Arts Council (WAC) to provide daily and nightly programming at the Plaza in downtown Whistler, which, they expect, will be perceived as one seamless Olympic or Paralympic experience.
To date, Whistler has identified all but C$2.6 million of the operational revenues it needs to offset the projected costs. The operational shortfall, Whistler managers suggest, the cost of the nightly finale during the Games, is expected to be covered by a sponsor -- whether corporate or government is not being revealed until the deal is done. However, they say that if the funds aren't forthcoming, they expect to still have time to cut back other aspects of the programming to compensate.
According to the Whistler managers, "Spectators will have the opportunity to participate in one seamless Live Site program that will incorporate the Victory Ceremonies and Concerts; the Olympic and Paralympic Arts Festival; the Paralympic Closing Ceremonies and 'Village Animation.' All three organizations believe that, during the Games, spectators should not be able to distinguish between -- or even be aware of -- the various organizations producing and presenting programming in Whistler. This fundamental belief is shared by the RMOW, VANOC, and WAC, and was the motivation for the integration, collaboration and on-going communication between the organizations, and for the combining of resources to create a single, unified, and engaging spectator experience that achieves the objectives of each organization."
In addition to the current programming, Whistler staff are still working to refine the budget itself, as well as on on the possibility of some additional entertainment concepts, for which sponsorship funding is still being sought (none of these program are expected to proceed if the funding can't be confirmed): These include "Late Night Live", which is estimated to cost C$307,950; Snow & Glow Olympics, budgeted at C$1.3 million and a companion program, Snow & Glow Paralympics, expected to cost C$23,280.
Whistler's C$1.3 million contribution involves C$1 million in cash, with the rest as value-in-kind (cleaning and waste, snow removal, accounting etc.) contributions, as well as funding for the Village appearance program for the Games.
Capital construction [for the pro-forma, see BACKGROUND, below]
--------------------
Whistler staff say they have identified all of the capital funding the Celebration Plaza needs for the basic operation of what they want to do, but they have not yet included the revenues nor costs of the landmark roof and the suggested ice connected with the proposed Whistler pavilion at Celebration Plaza's, as that's going through a separate approval process. The open-air ice rink, if built, is expected to have a suspended clear glass roof designed by Vancouver's Bing Thom of Bing Thom Architects -- if the engineering and snow loading can be worked out.
But, they suggest, the same sense of collaboration as exists on the programming and operations site extends to the construction on what is now lightly forested bush land in Whistler and the Plaza's later conversion shortly after the Games are completed, which is in March, 2010. "Post-Games, Celebration Plaza will emerge as the outdoor epicentre of performing arts in Whistler -– a place to showcase the richness of talent in the community, and to celebrate local heritage, adding a distinct maturity and sophistication to community life and the visitor experience. Celebration Plaza will be designed and programmed to attract community members and visitors from across Canada and around the world."
Whistler's already budgeted in its five-year plan for its C$6.2 million contribution.
BACKGROUND
Several Whistler managers have been working for the past year or so on the economics and constructing the future of the so-called Live Site at Whistler: John Rae, the manager of Strategic Alliances; Keith Bennett, the general manager of Resort Experiences; Diane Mombourquette, the general manager of Economic Viability; and, Jim Godfrey, the executive director of the Whistler 2010 Games Office and who is also Whistler's appointee on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
The Plaza is expected to be built on the land known there as Lots 1/9, which was at one point planned to hold the arena that would be used as for sledge hockey and wheelchair curling during the 2010 Paralympics. Those sports have since been transferred to Vancouver after the arena's C$33 million capital cost was more than what Whistler council was willing to bear.
--
Whistler's Preliminary Live Sites Program & Production Budget pro-forma
(All figures are in Canadian dollars)
Revenue
-------
Canadian heritage funding $5,000,000
VANOC subtotal: $8.95 million
-- VANOC Overlay $4,402,100
-- VANOC Ceremonies $2,251,566
-- VANOC Culture $2,300,000
Resort Municipality of Whistler: $1,269,800
Event Revenue $585,000
Other Contributions $2,637,815 (currently unfunded, funds possibly from sponsor or sponsors)
TOTAL: $18,446,281
Expenses
--------
Event Workforce $3,221,645
Creative & Artistic Services $6,049,515
Finance & Administrative Services $336,500
Production and Operations $5,710,630
Technical Operations $2,241,991
Media & Communications Services $886,000
TOTAL: $18,446,281
===
Capital Construction
--------------------
Whistler's Preliminary capital budget for the Celebration Plaza (Lots 1/9)
(All figures are in Canadian dollars)
Revenue
-------
Canadian Heritage $5,000,000
Resort Municipality of Whistler $6,200,000
VANOC $3,000,000
Total revenue: $14,200,000
Expenses
--------
Pre-Games
Hard Costs
-- Site Preparation $$880,000
-- Pavers $1,310,000
-- Infrastructure and Site Servicing $280,000
-- Utility Building $910,000
-- Performance Infrastructure $1,200,000
Soft Costs
-- Contingency $910,000
-- Escalation contingency (based on 09/2009 completion) $570,000
Soft Costs subtotal: $1,690,000
PRE-GAMES TOTAL $7,750,000
--
Post-Games Conversion
Hard Costs
-- Terracing and Hard Landscaping $1,260,000
-- Site Services 550,000
-- Lawn 350,000
-- Reforestation/Planting 170,000
-- Public Art/ Federal Recognition 250,000
-- Play Equipment 260,000
-- Water Feature 1,000,000
-- Soft Landscaping and Equipment 190,000
-- Contingency 760,000
Soft Costs 930,000
Escalation (based on 11/2010 completion) 730,000
POST-GAMES TOTAL 6,450,000
TOTAL CAPITAL COST: $14,200,000
RESOURCES
Our report on the City of Vancouver's Live Site operations and capital costs:
'Vancouver City staff propose two major Olympic Live Sites in downtown Vancouver'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2523; Published on Wednesday, September 12, 2007]
Our story about the Whistler ice pavilion proposed for the Celebration Plaza:
'Some good news and bad news about Whistler's 2010 Celebration Plaza'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2503; Published on Friday, August 31, 2007]
Our story about the overall look of the Celebration Plaza
'Vancouver architect team to design Whistler Olympic Ceremonies Plaza'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2233; Published on Tuesday, April 3, 2007]
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 1, 2007
Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #2555
WHISTLER TO ASK CANADA FOR C$10 MILLION FOR LIVE SITES WORK
Whistler municipal council is expected to approve two applications next week to the Canadian government for up to C$10 million that can be applied against costs associated with the Resort's construction, development and programming of its 2010 Olympic Live Sites. The City of Vancouver's council approved a similar application earlier this month, also for C$10 million. In Whistler's case, the resort's staff say they intend to apply for C$5 million from Heritage Canada's under its Celebration, Commemoration & Learning Program, which Whistler staff says deals with the development and programming costs (the program exists, but is not listed in the Department's public information). Staff also say they intend to apply for the remaining $5 million under Heritage Canada's Cultural Spaces Program for the funds to help with construction of the 2010 Olympics main Celebration Plaza for the nightly medal ceremonies and the Closing Ceremonies for the Paralympics, on what was once called Lots 1/9. The Cultural Spaces program's rules say that the fund "offers support of up to 33% of eligible project costs for expansion, construction or renovation, and up to 40% of eligible project costs for specialized equipment purchases or feasibility studies. Under exceptional circumstances, [Heritage Canada officials] may consider increased levels of support towards eligible project costs." This program also requires federal-government recognition signage on projects that receive such money, which Heritage Canada also supplies. Staff say they're working with the Olympic offices of Vancouver and Richmond to coordinate programming and planning, to keep costs down.
NBC OLYMPICS HIRES PORTUGUESE SOFTWARE COMPANY TO HELP HANDLE 2010 DIGITAL DATA
NBC Olympics, a subsidiary of the American TV network that holds the broadcast rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics, has signed a contract with MOG Solutions of Portugal to provide it with software, include its new Toboggan suite, that works as an intermediary to integrate the operations of NBC's Blue Order Media Asset Management System, its editing suites and its video servers. High-definition TV, which is what the Vancouver 2010 Games is using, involves a lot of digital data, and hauling it around, particularly from country to country, for processing and editing requires a lot of bandwidth and computer processing power. Getting that data into presentation form doesn't necessarily require all the data all the time. As well, the Internet and telephone transmissions of such video don't need all the data. If only a portion of that data can be used by human editors to prepare a package, and then, when the package is ready, only the data that needs to be processed and moved is used, it cuts down on the sheer volume of data that needs to be moved, and it speeds up the editing and transmission processes. Toboggan is a group of software tools that enable the new-media production group within NBC Olympics to share the media feeds and work that process them for various types of transmission between NBC's operations located in Vancouver and in New York. The live video feeds, and the computer data that describe them, emerge from the 2010 Games, are processed by Toboggan, setting them up for the Blue Order warehouse computers, then the software exports a portion of the data into the Avid software NBC crews use to edit the feeds and set the packaged programs up for broadcast transmission on, say, the Internet or on video-telephones. “It is always a challenge to encompass NBC Olympics’ requirements within MOG’s state-of-the-art technology. This is a very exciting project following the rewarding collaboration during the coverage of the Torino Olympic Winter Games,” says Vitor Teixeira, MOG's vice president of Product Development & Sales. [See RESOURCES, below]
RESOURCES
MOG Solutions:
www.mog-solutions.com
---
NBC Olympics:
www.nbcolympics.com
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on September 28, 2007
WHISTLER BUDGETING C$18.5 MILLION ON PROGRAMMING CELEBRATION PLAZA, PLUS C$14.2 MILLION ON BUILDING AND CONVERTING IT
The resort municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is proposing to raise and spend C$18.5 million for the Games-time operations of its Celebration Plaza during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to raise and spend another C$14.2 million building it and then converting it after the Games to the "outdoor epicentre of performing arts in Whistler."
That compares to the City of Vancouver's planning, which calls for a total of C$23.2 million, including C$8.8 million in operations and C$14.4 million in hard expenses over two Live Site locations that are to be temporarily renovated for the events, and then generally returned to their original uses, one as a parking lot and the other as a public park.
The Plaza is scheduled to be built in 2008 and 2009, hold crowds of up to 8,000 at a time, and be one of the main centrepieces of the public's view of the 2010 Games in Whistler.
Almost all of VANOC's snow and sliding events are scheduled for areas around Whistler, and almost all of the Paralympics events are also to be held in the Whistler area. The nightly medal ceremonies for the Whistler-area events are scheduled to be held at the Celebration Plaza, in conjunction with TV network ties to ceremonial and cultural events via large-screen television broadcasting to similar locations at three locations in Vancouver and one in Richmond.
Assuming the application for Canadian government funding goes through -- it's assumed it will since Whistler says the Canadian Heritage ministry invited Whistler's application -- Whistler managers say they'll start spending the communications portion of the programming budget. According to the managers, "RMOW, the Whistler Arts Council, VANOC and Canadian Heritage will jointly develop a communication strategy and plan regarding the contribution from the Government of Canada to the Whistler Live Sites program.... RMOW, Whistler Arts Council and VANOC will develop a strategy and plan to continue to engage the community, communicate plans and progress for the Celebration Plaza and the programming of Whistler Live Sites."
Next, we'll have a look at how the operations and capital planning are to work, and what money is expected to be spent and for what.
Operations [for the pro-forma, see BACKGROUND, below]
----------
Whistler managers will work with VANOC's Ceremonies and Cultural Olympiad departments and the Whistler Arts Council (WAC) to provide daily and nightly programming at the Plaza in downtown Whistler, which, they expect, will be perceived as one seamless Olympic or Paralympic experience.
To date, Whistler has identified all but C$2.6 million of the operational revenues it needs to offset the projected costs. The operational shortfall, Whistler managers
According to the Whistler managers, "Spectators will have the opportunity to participate in one seamless Live Site program that will incorporate the Victory Ceremonies and Concerts; the Olympic and Paralympic Arts Festival; the Paralympic Closing Ceremonies and 'Village Animation.' All three organizations believe that, during the Games, spectators should not be able to distinguish between -- or even be aware of -- the various organizations producing and presenting programming in Whistler. This fundamental belief is shared by the RMOW, VANOC, and WAC, and was the motivation for the integration, collaboration and on-going communication between the organizations, and for the combining of resources to create a single, unified, and engaging spectator experience that achieves the objectives of each organization."
In addition to the current programming, Whistler staff are still working to refine the budget itself, as well as on on the possibility of some additional entertainment concepts, for which sponsorship funding is still being sought (none of these program are expected to proceed if the funding can't be confirmed): These include "Late Night Live", which is estimated to cost C$307,950; Snow & Glow Olympics, budgeted at C$1.3 million and a companion program, Snow & Glow Paralympics, expected to cost C$23,280.
Whistler's C$1.3 million contribution involves C$1 million in cash, with the rest as value-in-kind (cleaning and waste, snow removal, accounting etc.) contributions, as well as funding for the Village appearance program for the Games.
Capital construction [for the pro-forma, see BACKGROUND, below]
--------------------
Whistler staff say they have identified all of the capital funding the Celebration Plaza needs for the basic operation of what they want to do, but they have not yet included the revenues nor costs of the landmark roof and the suggested ice connected with the proposed Whistler pavilion at Celebration Plaza's, as that's going through a separate approval process. The open-air ice rink, if built, is expected to have a suspended clear glass roof designed by Vancouver's Bing Thom of Bing Thom Architects -- if the engineering and snow loading can be worked out.
But, they suggest, the same sense of collaboration as exists on the programming and operations site extends to the construction on what is now lightly forested bush land in Whistler and the Plaza's later conversion shortly after the Games are completed, which is in March, 2010. "Post-Games, Celebration Plaza will emerge as the outdoor epicentre of performing arts in Whistler -– a place to showcase the richness of talent in the community, and to celebrate local heritage, adding a distinct maturity and sophistication to community life and the visitor experience. Celebration Plaza will be designed and programmed to attract community members and visitors from across Canada and around the world."
Whistler's already budgeted in its five-year plan for its C$6.2 million contribution.
BACKGROUND
--
Whistler's Preliminary Live Sites Program & Production Budget pro-forma
(All figures are in Canadian dollars)
Revenue
-------
Canadian heritage funding $5,000,000
VANOC subtotal: $8.95 million
-- VANOC Overlay $4,402,100
-- VANOC Ceremonies $2,251,566
-- VANOC Culture $2,300,000
Resort Municipality of Whistler: $1,269,800
Event Revenue $585,000
Other Contributions $2,637,815 (currently unfunded, funds possibly from sponsor or sponsors)
TOTAL: $18,446,281
Expenses
--------
Event Workforce $3,221,645
Creative & Artistic Services $6,049,515
Finance & Administrative Services $336,500
Production and Operations $5,710,630
Technical Operations $2,241,991
Media & Communications Services $886,000
TOTAL: $18,446,281
===
Capital Construction
--------------------
Whistler's Preliminary capital budget for the Celebration Plaza (Lots 1/9)
(All figures are in Canadian dollars)
Revenue
-------
Canadian Heritage $5,000,000
Resort Municipality of Whistler $6,200,000
VANOC $3,000,000
Total revenue: $14,200,000
Expenses
--------
Pre-Games
Hard Costs
-- Site Preparation $$880,000
-- Pavers $1,310,000
-- Infrastructure and Site Servicing $280,000
-- Utility Building $910,000
-- Performance Infrastructure $1,200,000
Soft Costs
-- Contingency $910,000
-- Escalation contingency (based on 09/2009 completion) $570,000
Soft Costs subtotal: $1,690,000
PRE-GAMES TOTAL $7,750,000
--
Post-Games Conversion
Hard Costs
-- Terracing and Hard Landscaping $1,260,000
-- Site Services 550,000
-- Lawn 350,000
-- Reforestation/Planting 170,000
-- Public Art/ Federal Recognition 250,000
-- Play Equipment 260,000
-- Water Feature 1,000,000
-- Soft Landscaping and Equipment 190,000
-- Contingency 760,000
Soft Costs 930,000
Escalation (based on 11/2010 completion) 730,000
POST-GAMES TOTAL 6,450,000
TOTAL CAPITAL COST: $14,200,000
RESOURCES
Our report on the City of Vancouver's Live Site operations and capital costs:
'Vancouver City staff propose two major Olympic Live Sites in downtown Vancouver'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2523; Published on Wednesday, September 12, 2007]
Our story about the Whistler ice pavilion proposed for the Celebration Plaza:
'Some good news and bad news about Whistler's 2010 Celebration Plaza'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2503; Published on Friday, August 31, 2007]
Our story about the overall look of the Celebration Plaza
'Vancouver architect team to design Whistler Olympic Ceremonies Plaza'
[Morgan:News:2010:Number:2233; Published on Tuesday, April 3, 2007]
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on October 1, 2007
Morgan:News:2010 |Moguls| #2555
WHISTLER TO ASK CANADA FOR C$10 MILLION FOR LIVE SITES WORK
NBC OLYMPICS HIRES PORTUGUESE SOFTWARE COMPANY TO HELP HANDLE 2010 DIGITAL DATA
RESOURCES
MOG Solutions:
www.mog-solutions.com
---
NBC Olympics:
www.nbcolympics.com
Originally published to Morgan:News:2010:Gold subscribers on September 28, 2007