Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: City Manager

SUBJECT: 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games Bid:

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

There is no Council policy directly related to this matter.

PURPOSE

This report provides an update on the progress and timeline of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation's development, and reviews City involvement and other aspects related to the Bid.

BACKGROUND

In December 1998, Vancouver was selected by the Canadian Olympic Association (COA) to represent Canada in the international bidding competition to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games.

In June 1999, the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation was incorporated with the goal of winning the right to host the Winter Games in 2010. The Bid Corporation is responsible for developing the overall vision and conceptual plan for hosting the Games. Work on all aspects of the bid development is well underway and the Bid Corporation is confident that they will be in a position to submit a winning bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in January 2003.

If selected by the IOC to host the 2010 Winter Games, the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation will be replaced by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) to refine and implement the plan outlined in the Bid Book.

DISCUSSION

1. STATUS

The Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation has previously briefed Council on Games Venue development. There have not been any significant changes in the direction or vision on these issues since previous Council briefings.

The deadline for the first IOC submission, the Bid Questionnaire or "mini" Bid Book, is at the end of May, 2002. This is a 22-page summary of the final Bid Book, and will be used by the IOC to shortlist a number of the applicant cities to proceed to the final Bid Book submission, which is due in January 2003.

The sites of the venues have been selected as previously reviewed with Council and the conceptual design of most of these venues is underway. Memorandums of Understanding are in the process of being drafted with the various venue owners, and funding commitments are being sought from the Federal and Provincial governments. A Community and stakeholder consultation process is ongoing, and the individual International Sports Federations will be reviewing and providing feedback on the bid plans and venue design prior to completion of the final Bid Book.

To date, both the federal and provincial governments have demonstrated strong support for the Bid, and have dedicated a number of staff to work closely with the Bid Corporation on bid development.

Regular Council updates and workshops are planned in the upcoming months to ensure that Council is kept apprised of the Bid as it progresses, and to ensure that the final Bid is fully supported by Council.

2. TIMELINES

The following is a timeline of key dates.

Submit Bid Questionnaire to IOC May 31, 2002
IOC selects shortlist of 2010 Candidate Cities August 28-29, 2002
Submit Bid Book to IOC January 10, 2003
IOC Technical Evaluation Visit February/March 2003
IOC announces 2010 Host City July 2, 2003

Due to the considerable work involved in translating and producing the final document, the Bid Book content must be completed several months (late August 2002) prior to the submission deadline.

3. BID BOOK THEMES

The IOC has very specific requirements with regards to the layout and content of the Bid Book. The IOC requires that the Bid Book be broken down into 18 Themes. These include: National, Regional & Candidate City Characteristics, Legal Aspects, Customs and Immigration Formalities, Environmental Protection and Meteorology, Finance, Marketing, General Sports Concept, Sports, Paralympic Games, Olympic Village, Medical/Health Services (Spectator and Athlete), Security, Accommodation, Transport, Technology, Communication and Media Services, Olympics and Culture, and Guarantees.

The 2010 Vancouver Bid Corporation is also planning to include supplemental information regarding culture and sustainability in addition to the official Bid Book.

4. VENUE DEVELOPMENT

Approximately 70% of the events and venues are proposed to take place in Vancouver and its surrounding communities, and these locations have, for the most part, remained unchanged from previous Council briefings. The events to be held in Greater Vancouver include the Opening and Closing ceremonies, cultural festivals, nightly medal Recognition Ceremonies, Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, Curling, Speed Skating, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding.

The Opening and Closing ceremonies will take place in BC Place Stadium, with seating for over 60,000 spectators. The sports events are proposed to take place in GM Place, an upgraded Pacific Coliseum and Agrodome, Cypress Mountain, and new sport venues to be constructed at Hillcrest Park, SFU and UBC. A summary of the proposed venues and locations in the Vancouver area is included in APPENDIX A.

The current proposal anticipates that the Whistler area will host the Alpine and Cross-Country Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsleigh/Luge, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping.

Olympic Athletes Villages will be developed in both Vancouver (Southeast False Creek) and Whistler. The Vancouver Olympic Athletes Village will be incorporated into the City's overall plan for the development of these lands.

The Paralympic Winter Games will be hosted in Whistler for the most part, other than the Opening Ceremonies, which will likely take place at BC Place Stadium.

Some of the Vancouver area venues proposed for the 2010 Winter Games are existing and require refurbishment, such as GM Place; while others require renovations, such as the Pacific Coliseum, and still others are new, such as the Curling facility at Hillcrest Park..

Venues to be constructed in the Vancouver area for the 2010 Winter Games include a new Speed Skating Oval at Simon Fraser University, a newly developed curling facility at Hillcrest Park, the Olympic Athletes Village in Southeast False Creek, and a secondary ice hockey facility at the University of British Columbia. The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre would house the Main Press Centre and the proposed Richmond Trade and Exhibition Centre will house the International Broadcast Centre. All new facilities will be designed with careful consideration to their post-Games use to ensure an ongoing Legacy for the neighbouring and athletic communities. Designs will be conceptual at the Bid Stage and a full design and consultation process will take place upon award of the Games.

Architects have been engaged to prepare conceptual designs and cost estimates for most new and renovated venues. Consultation with stakeholders, the public and City staff, where applicable, is underway to determine both Games and post-Games requirements. The conceptual designs and preliminary cost estimates will be substantially completed by mid-April, to allow time for a review by the International Sports Federations, and for final budget and funding arrangements to be completed.

5. TRANSPORTATION

Vancouver and Whistler offer a unique and unprecedented variety of transportation modes to ensure accessible and effective transportation links for the Olympic/Paralympic athletes, officials, media, volunteers and spectators. In keeping with the sustainability goals of the Bid, the emphasis will be on public transportation, and on-site parking for spectators and volunteers will not be provided.

The vast majority of participants and visitors arriving for the 2010 Winter Games will come through Vancouver International Airport, acknowledged to be among the best airports in the world. While it is not necessary in order to accommodate participants and visitors, a new rapid transit link from the Airport to Vancouver is under consideration by a number of different agencies. If the project proceeds, it would, together with the existing infrastructure, link the Airport, the international broadcast centre, Hillcrest Park, the Athletes Village, BC Place, GM Place, the Convention Centre, and have transit connections to eastern communities, including the speed skating oval at SFU. This outstanding Legacy would clearly enhance the overall Olympic experience for participants and visitors alike.

Options for the transportation challenges and requirements on the Sea-to-Sky Corridor linking Vancouver to Whistler are being explored from a multi-modal perspective, including the use of buses, marine vessels, rail, and helicopter.

6. SUSTAINABILITY

The IOC has made environment one of three formalized pillars of the Olympic Movement, along with sport and culture. As such, the Games represent a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world, British Columbia and Canada's commitment and considerable expertise in social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

The 2010 Bid Corporation is incorporating the principles of environmental sustainability into all aspects of planning and preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games. These include leading-edge environmental practices such as green building and community planning standards, sustainable transportation initiatives, energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, water conservation, air quality and greenhouse gas management, waste minimization and protection and enhancement of natural landscapes.

In addition, strategies to ensure sustainable economic opportunities that extend well beyond the period of the Games will include showcasing domestic product innovation and expertise, diversifying local community economies and maximizing the use of domestic products and services before, during, and after the Games.

Social sustainability will be pursued through sport development and community legacies such as affordable housing at the Olympic Athletes Village site, reduction of physical and economic barriers to Games participation, employment opportunities for youth and lower income citizens, and celebration of cultural diversity.

7. LEGAL AGREEMENTS AND RELATIONSHIPS

In November 1998, the City and the Province entered into the Participation Agreement which indemnifies and releases the City for obligations arising out of the Bid.

With the Participation Agreement in place, the City agreed to take on the designation of "host city" and sign the Bid City Agreement with the COA in December 1998. If Vancouver is the successful candidate in the international bidding process, it will be required to sign the Host City Agreement with the IOC.

The Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation was incorporated in June 1999. Its member partners (shareholders) include the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the COA, the Province of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. If selected by the IOC to host the 2010 Winter Games, the Vancouver Bid Corporation will be replaced by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) to refine and implement the plan.

It is anticipated that there will be many agreements formulated over the next few months that will cover the organizational structure of OCOG, OCOG's business plan and policies relating to the operations and management of the Games, the financial contributions and commitments of each partner, commitments relating to capital projects and infrastructure, the management of physical and financial legacies of the Games, protocol, and the transition from the Bid Corporation to OCOG.

8. PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The Public Consultation process is well underway and is on-going. More than 500 presentations have been made to the community and stakeholders to date. The 2010 Bid Corporation is leading the public consultation process in conjunction with the City.

A consultation plan is under development for each venue, both sporting and non sporting and for specific topics/issues; for example social impact, transportation and security.

9. BID DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUPS/STAFF INVOLVEMENT

Over the past year, approximately 30 bid development work groups have been created to develop all aspects of the bid under the categories of Paralympic Sport and Venues, Villages and Operations, Culture and Youth, and Government Support and Services. An organization chart of the various work groups is included in APPENDIX B. These work groups include representatives of key stakeholders and are supported by Bid staff with past Games experience and expertise. City staff have been involved on a number of work groups including:

Master Plan and Legacies Now!, Greater Vancouver Venues, Greater Vancouver Transportation, Security, Culture & Youth, Strategic Planning, and Sustainability.

Other City staff participating in the City's input to the bid include Legal Services, Facilities Development, Real Estate Services, Current Planning, Housing, Finance, and Park Board.

10. STEERING COMMITTEE

The City has organized an Olympic Steering Committee that meets bi-weekly to decide major issues relating to the bid as it affects the City. Members of this committee include:

- City Manager
- Deputy City Manager
- General Manager, Engineering Services
- Director of Current Planning
- General Manager, Park Board

The Steering Committee's role is to ensure policy direction is given, and information is provided in a timely manner for inclusion in the bid documents.

11. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Provincial Government recently released an economic impact study for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games. The findings of this study were very positive and have reaffirmed government support for the project. Hosting the Winter Games is viewed as a 20-year economic development initiative centred on the 6 week event. The estimated net economic activity is between $5.7 billion and $10 billion, depending on whether or not the convention centre expansion goes ahead. The Games represent between 118,000 and 228,000 new direct and indirect jobs, and the estimated provincial and federal direct tax revenue is between $1.3 billion and $2.5 billion. See APPENDIX C for the press releases outlining the highlights from this study.

12. FINANCIAL

A business plan and capital and operating budget for the next phase is being prepared by the 2010 Bid Corporation. The preliminary estimate for capital and endowment costs is $600 million. A number of chartered accountancy firms have recently agreed to donate their services to assist the Bid Corporation in preparing a comprehensive financial and business plan for the organizing phase.

Capital, endowment and security costs are expected to be covered by Provincial and Federal funding reflecting the significant incremental tax revenues generated by hosting the Games. In addition the Bid Corporation is, in conjunction with its members, examining potential for involvement of the private sector and local government to enhance the overall legacy program.

13. SALT LAKE EXPERIENCE

The recent 2002 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah provided an excellent opportunity for Bid Corporation and City staff to witness the staging of an Olympic and Paralympic event first-hand, and to demonstrate, through their ongoing presence and interest, to the IOC that the City considers itself a serious and capable candidate to host the Games.

Over 50 volunteers and members of the Bid Corporation, and 10 City staff had the opportunity to visit Salt Lake City during the 2 week staging of the Games. Four other staff members are visiting facilities and observing preparations for the Paralympic Games.

While in Salt Lake City, staff had the opportunity to meet and question members of Salt Lake City's staff and OCOG, and participate in tours of various venues and behind-the-scenes operations. The knowledge and contacts gained through this experience will prove to be invaluable in finalizing Vancouver's Bid, and during the next phases if Vancouver is selected to host the 2010 Winter Games.

CONCLUSION

Work on the development of the Bid is well underway and there have not been any significant changes in the direction or vision of the 2010 Bid Corporation since previous Council briefings. Both federal and provincial government support for the bid is strong, as is public support for the bid by the citizens of Vancouver and the rest of the Province. Regular Council updates and workshops are planned in the upcoming months to ensure that Council is kept apprised of the Bid as it progresses, and to ensure that the final Bid, when submitted in January 2003, is fully supported by Council. It is appropriate at this time that Council endorse the City involvement in the venues for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games.

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APPENDIX A: Summary of Vancouver and Area Venue Locations

EVENT

VENUE

OWNER

Curling

New arena - Hillcrest Park

City of Vancouver

Figure Skating

Pacific Coliseum (Upgraded)

City of Vancouver

Figure Skating (Training)

Agrodome (Upgraded)

City of Vancouver

Ice Hockey (Primary)

GM Place

Orca Bay

Ice Hockey (Secondary)

New arena - UBC

UBC*

Long Track Speed Skating

New oval - SFU

SFU

Short Track Speed Skating

Pacific Coliseum (Upgraded)

City of Vancouver

International Broadcast Centre

New facility: Richmond Trade & Exhibition Centre

Public Sector*

Main Press Centre

Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (expanded)

PAVCO

Opening/Closing Ceremonies

BC Place Stadium

PAVCO

Medal Recognition Ceremonies

BC Place

PAVCO

Athletes Village

New development -Southeast False Creek

City/Private Sector

Hockey Practice

2 community ice rinks (upgraded)

City of Vancouver

     

* Potential private sector participation

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