2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games Update
The countdown to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games has already begun. A digital clock in downtown Vancouver shows the remaining time to the opening ceremony by day, hour, minute and second.
A new highway entrance signs have been added to promote the Olympics.
The arena housing a new ice rink has gone up in Richmond near the Vancouver International Airport. Light-rail lines are being added. And the Vancouver Convention Center is being expanded to serve as the main media center for the games, which will take place February 12 to 28, 2010 and will be followed by the Paralympic Winter Games in March.
“This is a big year for construction in Vancouver,” Raymond Chan, spokesman for Tourism British Columbia, said this week.
Organizers expect about a million people to visit British Columbia during the Olympics in which about 5,000 athletes and officials from 80 countries are set to participate, Chan said. An estimated 10,000 accredited media members will report on the games and three billion television viewers are expected to watch them around the world.
“For us, it’s really a great opportunity to showcase our region to the world,” Chan said.
Business owners are working with Olympic organizers to reap economic benefits from the event, said Greg Holmes, director of sales at the popular Vancouver Aquarium. “We will create significant exposure,” Holmes said.
Area residents are gearing up for the big event as well. Organizers have already secured about 25,000 volunteers needed for the Olympics, Chan said. More and more people continue to show interest in volunteering.
Volunteers and businesses are receiving training to welcome athletes, officials and tourists to British Columbia, Chan said. “We are really looking at ensuring all the volunteers and businesses are well-trained to treat visitors,” he said.
The Olympics will also benefit and affect the Pacific Northwest on the US side. With Whatcom County being right on the border with British Columbia, they should see a lot of tourism benefits.
Some visitors will fly in to Washington airports. Snohomish County has created its own group, SnoGold 2010, to help local businesses and organizations be ready for the opportunities created by the Olympics. It’s trying to bid for skating or skiing teams to establishing training camps in the county.
Organizers expect many residents of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to take the drive upto Vancouver spending time and money with our Northwest neighbor during the winter games.
The U.S. government is set to start a new border crossing requirement in summer 2008. The new rule requires passports for all travelers, including drivers when they re-enter the United States after a few hours of shopping in Canada. A driver’s license now suffices.
Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell are trying to streamline the crossings in preparation for the Olympics. State officials plan to authorize new enhanced driver’s licenses, which will allow drivers to cross the border without presenting passports.
The new passport rule could hinder traffic during the Olympics and send a chill through tourism and trade on both sides of the border, critics say. There is some concern by the tourism industry. Partially via HeraldNet
For all your Whatcom County real estate needs visit Bellingham WA Homes.
Tickets for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia will go on sale in October 2008. The date will be on the minds of many Olympic enthusiast as the excitement builds towards the Games. One year from today marks the start of the initial round of Canadian ticket sales for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Comment by Jerry — October 12, 2007 @ 8:52 am
It looks like most of the counties up in the the Northwest section of Washington state will be working all the angles they can to grab a part of the Vancouver 2010 tourism traffic. The state will have spent $7 billion to make it easier for people to get to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., including $665 million in Snohomish County. SnoGold 2010 is the Snohomish venture for the Winter Olympics.
Comment by Jerry — October 18, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
I found an interesting discussion about Vancouver BC housing prices at another blog up here. One of the commenters said he was against the Olympics because “it is just going to create another gap between the rich and the poor.” Talking about how the Olympics would change the real estate market, a commenter excalimed that “in 2012 everything will sink into the ground”. Well, I don’t think so. I believe real estate in the Vancouver, BC market willl retain their value even after the Games. I agree that with the build up to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, prices will go up in the British Columbia Province, but serious doubt there will be any kind of a market dive soon after.
Jay B
Comment by Vancouver condos — November 21, 2007 @ 5:26 am
Hi Jay - That is a good question about whats going to happen to the real estate market in both Vancouver BC, and actually in Whatcom County as well. I think with the spot light on Vancouver, it seems pretty obvious to me that the British Columbia real estate market might see some appreciation over the next couple years.
After the Vancouver Worlds Fair in 1986 the entire Whatcom County market saw double digit jumps in prices that started about 2-3 years after the end of the Vancouver, BC event. I think that after so many people had traveled through our area and sort of discovered Bellingham, WA; they started moving to the area and buying up homes in Bellingham. I believe we might see something sort of close to that, but nothing near double digit price appreciations.
I certainly look forward to the Vancouver 2010 Games though, because we will be buying tickets next fall to attend several of the Winter Olympic events. I’m hoping they have enough Winter Game events in and around Vancouver, because I’m not sure if I want to travel the distance to the Whistler Resort. Take care Jay.
Comment by Jerry — December 5, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Hello Jerry, I may be wrong but I believe that the scenario will be similar to that of post-1986. The World Fair had helped both the city and the region, so one shouldn’t doubt that the situation will be the same after the Vancouver 2010 Games. And let me add a piece of stats. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver has just released a report of a survey it commissioned of 2006 home buyers and home sellers in the Greater Vancouver region. I learned that just over half of respondents (54%) both bought and sold a property in 2006. 44% only bought and 2% only sold a property. And here is another interesting fact: Approximately one-third of buyers are first-time home owners.
Comment by Vancouver condos — December 18, 2007 @ 9:15 am
I have been looking with interest at the up coming games in 2010.
I realize the need for rooms.
I live 20 minutes from the border in Bellingham washington and I would be glad to rent out a roon or 2 for people that can’t get a room anywhere else.
I have a comfortable 4 bedroom home,
thanks
Katee
Comment by katee wowk — January 8, 2008 @ 10:55 pm