Toronto + Pan Am Games, yay/nay?

[Kid A]

Montreal - 1976 Summer Olympics
Calgary - 1988 Winter Olympics
Vancouver - 2010 Winter Olympics
Toronto - 2015 PAN AM GAMES?!


I had no idea wtf the pan am games were until very recently. after research I've found that it will cost $2.4B (lol) and there is very little media coverage. superstar athletes have also historically skipped it, every nation has their B or C string athletes representing them.

I think if Toronto really wants to put itself on the map as a global city, it should withdraw. it's either summer/winter Olympics or no games, period. it just seems like the city has decided to settle on a seventh or so tier world sporting event. no slight to any city that's hosted the game or the games itself, but let's be realistic.


in terms of status and recognition across the world;

there are the Tokyo, Beijing, London, Barcelona, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, etc. of the world where people romanticize about. these cities have hosted the Olympics or are instantly recognizable for various other reasons.

and then there is Winnipeg, Santo Domingo, Guadalajara, Mar del Plata and Toronto?

thoughts? did I also mention this will cost a min. of $2.4B (99.99% guaranteed to be higher in the end) that we are all paying for?

[prvt10]

It's a waste of money. I couldn't care less about it.

[_Allan_]

I was a volunteer from the get-go when London hosted the 2001 Canada Summer games.
I think Toronto should attempt something small like THAT, then move up and try a little harder games (like the Pan-ams) then try again in 20 years for the Olympics.

Volunteering for something like that is a truly AMAZING opportunity. I was head of Materials Management (aka Warehouse) for the ENTIRE Fanshawe College Venue in London. I received hundreds of donuts/timbits a day. I took in several dozen bushels of ice a day. It was just ... amazing. I love it. I was there 7am-10pm all 14 days of the games.

Again, from a volunteer position, this would be good - it would also bring jobs (Security, Infrastructure etc) to the city.

[spookie149]

Winnipeg hosted the Pan Am games in *I believe* 1999. I would hardly say it brought Winnipeg's name to the world stage. More people know Winnipeg because of the greyhound incident.

[appleb]

I'm all for an Olympic Bid, but the Pan Am games is a waste of money in my opinion. It is not the type of event that will make us recognizable as a world class city.

2.4 billion... is that number even correct? That sounds like a ludicrous amount of money for an event nobody really cares about.

[Rembrandt100]

I really hope we do not get the games. As someone stated about the infrastructure yes well will get it BUT we can not take care of the stuff we have already, what the heck do we need more for?


Dave

[originalnutta]

I dont we need events to make us a world class city.

We need actual sights and landscapes to make us a world class city.


Build it and they will come.

Toronto is really a very boring city. Sure it's big and busy, but there really isn't much to do.


I'm probably biased after coming from Chicago, but thats what a city should be like. A great waterfront, impeccable transit system, and a variety of features.

We have The CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, the AGO and the ROM. The latter two being better than the former.


It's sad to see a city with so much potential being pissed away.

[mysticalinfluence]

It's a waste of money. I couldn't care less about it.

I agree it's total waste the money we spend on it could go to more important places.

[nhui06]

I am up for the Pan Am games. A good read today in the Star why people protesting on how toronto should focus on their own before looking at these Games did not result to anything. The article is right, our Government needs the push to develop our infrastructure, and nothing pushes them like Toronto being on the world stage. With the Pan Am games, the govt is willing to invest on improving our transit and waterfront etc.. plus I would like to attend these mini olympics haha

[starbright]

I voted no just for this story:

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityne...-can-ride-solo

If I normally rode on that train, I would be so pissed.

ETA:
From The Star

"I would say 99.9 per cent of the population will be supportive," said Richardson, adding the Games would bring $1.4 billion to the GTA.

"I think taking a GO Train out, proportionally, is extremely responsible," he said.

The Port Credit train was back in service for the rush-hour ride home; the Pan Am delegates returned to Toronto in a helicopter.

[thelefteyeguy]

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<-------------(firm believer...Pan Am games...seriously?)

[robster77]

Pop quiz: Who won...well....anything at the last Pan Am games? If you don't know and never had the desire to google, you're not alone. Nobody cares...even the athletes. Some countries send their "B" teams for Heaven's sake. It'll be a money-losing dog. I hope we lose. Alas, I'm afraid we won't.

[wolverineTO]

i dont we need events to make us a world class city.

we need actual sights and landscapes to make us a world class city.


Build it and they will come.

toronto is really a very boring city. Sure it's big and busy, but there really isn't much to do.


I'm probably biased after coming from chicago, but thats what a city should be like. A great waterfront, impeccable transit system, and a variety of features.

We have the cn tower, the rogers centre, the ago and the rom. The latter two being better than the former.


It's sad to see a city with so much potential being pissed away.

+1

[scratchieepants]

I vote F no.

Waste of money, and only a few rich people will get richer. Seems like a bad deal for the overtaxed slaves of Toronto/Ontario anyway.

It might be worth the squeeze for a worthwhile event like the Olympics, we'd still get a poor return on investment, and be over taxed, but hey, at least our ego would be stroked by hosting a real event.

Pan Am games are a joke.

[Kid A]

if this were the Olympics, would the people that voted NO vote YES? I certainly would.

we should prepare to get taxed up the ass or have new fees introduced to pay for this. Hamilton, Sauga and neighboring cities are putting their hat into this as well, wallets too. Federal gov is putting in money and provincial.

I'm sorry but this is like paying $70,000 for a Hyundai

2.4 billion... is that number even correct? That sounds like a ludicrous amount of money for an event nobody really cares about.

lol yes, it is $2.4B and that's a preliminary number. $1.4B in operational and capital, then another $1B for athlete's village

don't be shocked if the budget BLOWS UP and the cost ends up being wayyy more. think Vancouver and Montreal for Olympics. actually, think any nation that hosts the olympics and pan am games and the expense is a MULTIPLE of the original budget