Weldon LeBlanc: Impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics

Business ColumnistsWeldon LeBlanc: Impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics
Friday, December 11th, 2009 | 9:46 am


Weldon LeBlanc
By Weldon LeBlanc

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will take place in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010, and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.

An estimated 5,500 people from more than 80 countries will take part in 86 medal events during the Olympic Games, with another 1,350 people from more than 40 countries participating in the Paralympic Games.

More importantly, it is estimated that the combined Olympics will have a global audience of three billion people.

I did an interview recently on CTV challenging me on the economic impact of the 2010 Olympics. It was suggested that the economic spinoffs to the Okanagan would be minimal.

I see it differently.

An in-depth report was released in 2007 called “Legacies of North American
Olympic Winter Games” which analyzed the economic impact of the three Olympic Winter Games held in North America since 1980: in Lake Placid (1980), Calgary (1988) and Salt Lake City (2002). The report considers each of these three Olympic venues to be successful, and provided positive spin-offs to the host communities.

In examining the Calgary Olympic experience, the report notes that the Olympics made Calgary internationally famous as a tourist destination. The Canada Olympic Park has become the second most popular destination in Alberta, next to the Rocky Mountains.

In the Legacies report, Tracey Grindal, manager of market research for Tourism Calgary, is quoted as saying that the most significant impact of hosting the Winter Games is the increase in international importance. “It puts you on the world map. It sets you apart. It broadens your image.”

Being removed from the limelight of the Lower Mainland, what does the Olympic activity mean for Kelowna and the Okanagan?

In Kelowna we’re already seeing the benefits of the Winter Olympics. Early efforts by the Economic Development Commission and the Kelowna Chamber on Olympic procurement opportunities have resulted in local businesses tapping into lucrative business opportunities.

Additionally, we are now seeing Olympic athletes using local facilities as training venues.

In February and March, Whistler and Blackcomb will not be accessible to skiers. Big White and the hospitality sector of Kelowna are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity.

Kelowna is also well positioned to take advantage of the inaccessibility of Vancouver during February and March. The anticipated traffic congestion in Vancouver during the Olympics will make our city a great winter get-away destination.

During the Olympics, people around the world will get glimpses of the Okanagan and Kelowna through the efforts of Tourism Kelowna who are making sure the media have footage of our region. It is hoped that tourists and investors will find their way to the Okanagan in the months and years following the Olympics as a result of the heightened international media coverage. The results of the Legacies report of the three other Olympic venues support this assumption.

At this late stage, according to the VANOC website, Olympic organizers are currently focusing procurement activities in areas where immediate requirements for goods and services exist. Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations to Quote (ITQs), Requests for Expression of Interest (EOIs), and other bid opportunities may be issued at www.vancouver2010.com and through www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca.

Regardless of our thoughts, the 2010 Winter Olympics will have an impact on Kelowna and the Okanagan. Only time will tell to what extent.

Source:kelowna.com/