ChatterBank2 mins ago
London Olympics
This follows on from a Q a few months ago.
It has been reported that the estimate is now �9 Billion, almost four times the original budget set just two short years ago, and as we are still five years away the estimate is bound to increase still further.
Do people still think it is a good idea to spend such vast amounts of money on minority sports?
I've heard that no modern olympics has ever made a profit and many countries are still paying for it years,sometimes decades, after the event. ('heard' as in I've read - but afraid can't offer any corroborative links).
It has been reported that the estimate is now �9 Billion, almost four times the original budget set just two short years ago, and as we are still five years away the estimate is bound to increase still further.
Do people still think it is a good idea to spend such vast amounts of money on minority sports?
I've heard that no modern olympics has ever made a profit and many countries are still paying for it years,sometimes decades, after the event. ('heard' as in I've read - but afraid can't offer any corroborative links).
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some have made money, notably Los Angeles, and some, like Barcelona, have played a big role in boosting urban regeneration and functioned as a massive tourism commercial - everyone knows Barcelona now; they used not to. Montreal is the famous one where, as far as I know, they're still paying it off. It's down to how well they're planned and run and what they do with the infrastructure.
They're only minority sports when compared with football; aside from that athletics are probably the sport most common to the biggest number of nations worldwide.
They're only minority sports when compared with football; aside from that athletics are probably the sport most common to the biggest number of nations worldwide.
I know it is on a different scale, but when Manchester won the right to stage the Commonwealth Games, there were many people who shouted waste of money, worried about the cost, and predicted all kinds of dire consequences.
The reality was in fact a lot of investment and regeneration in the city. New facilities such as The City of Manchester Stadium one of the best Premiership grounds in the country, the velodrome and swimming pool which still stage international competions and keep Manchester on the map. In all, a very good job was done in Manchester, and similar things but on a bigger scale is what is expected of the 2012 Londaon Games.
The reality was in fact a lot of investment and regeneration in the city. New facilities such as The City of Manchester Stadium one of the best Premiership grounds in the country, the velodrome and swimming pool which still stage international competions and keep Manchester on the map. In all, a very good job was done in Manchester, and similar things but on a bigger scale is what is expected of the 2012 Londaon Games.
the british seem to have an uncanny knack of not being able to manage big projects without huge overruns of cost or time, eg jubilee line, heathrow t5, wembley, etc.
as the deadline approaches the workers will use their muscle and strike for more money, by which time they'll have the management over a barrel.
i hope to be proved wrong, but i predict that the 2012 opening ceremony will be at the stade de france.
as the deadline approaches the workers will use their muscle and strike for more money, by which time they'll have the management over a barrel.
i hope to be proved wrong, but i predict that the 2012 opening ceremony will be at the stade de france.
mushroom25
I'm going to bang on some more about the City of Manchester Stadium .
It cost the tax payer �110 m (�35 m to convert to a football venue was paid for by MCFC) and was completed on time. Rather than being a burden on tax payers, it provides an income stream as a percentage of the gate money goes in 'rent' to the council.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Mancheste r_Stadium
Compare with wembley which has so far cost �800 m and is very late.
I'm going to bang on some more about the City of Manchester Stadium .
It cost the tax payer �110 m (�35 m to convert to a football venue was paid for by MCFC) and was completed on time. Rather than being a burden on tax payers, it provides an income stream as a percentage of the gate money goes in 'rent' to the council.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Mancheste r_Stadium
Compare with wembley which has so far cost �800 m and is very late.
I would think that the �9b is an over estimate so that when they go over budget again and again it still remains within this �9b. With a bit of luck, they might even be able to say at the end of it that they came in less than the �9b. Though I suspect any money left over will go into some politician's pocket and the major players involved.
Yes, I think it is important to invest large sums of money into the Olympics. Despite them being minority sports, the Olympics is a HUGE event which will benefit a lot of people and hopefully inspire some youngsters!
There are much worse things money is being spent / wasted on in this country.
Yes, I think it is important to invest large sums of money into the Olympics. Despite them being minority sports, the Olympics is a HUGE event which will benefit a lot of people and hopefully inspire some youngsters!
There are much worse things money is being spent / wasted on in this country.
jno ' Everyone knows Barcelona now; they used not to'.
Since Barcelona was founded by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC, I suppose there was a time before this when no one knew of it. But since the Modern Olympic Games did not start until 1896, I don't think we can give the 1992 Olympic Games credit for now making us aware that Barcelona actually does exist.
Regarding the escalating costs, I heard a developer state that this happens all the time, they put in a bid to gain the tender,and then periodically escalate the costs for one reason or other.
Why when setting these Goverment contracts can they not set some kind of penalty clause into the contract? After all no one in their right mind would give a builder or any other tradesman, what in this case has become an open cheque book. But then they know that with all other big organisation it is indeed an open cheque book. How many of us have taken a damaged vehicle to a body shop, and the first thing they ask you is it an insurance job?
Since Barcelona was founded by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC, I suppose there was a time before this when no one knew of it. But since the Modern Olympic Games did not start until 1896, I don't think we can give the 1992 Olympic Games credit for now making us aware that Barcelona actually does exist.
Regarding the escalating costs, I heard a developer state that this happens all the time, they put in a bid to gain the tender,and then periodically escalate the costs for one reason or other.
Why when setting these Goverment contracts can they not set some kind of penalty clause into the contract? After all no one in their right mind would give a builder or any other tradesman, what in this case has become an open cheque book. But then they know that with all other big organisation it is indeed an open cheque book. How many of us have taken a damaged vehicle to a body shop, and the first thing they ask you is it an insurance job?
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