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News & Events - Letters & Editorials
Big Olympic Picture Will Pay Off
John Winter
As the Vancouver 2010 Olympics reach the one-year countdown mark, it’s time we took a step back to revisit the big Olympic picture.
With the world’s financial woes on our doorstep, it’s easy to focus only on the current issue and lose sight of what the outcome promises to be. Is hosting the Olympics expensive? Yes, of course. Preparation for the games will cost billions of dollars – dollars that, in the present climate, everyone is telling us we can ill afford; dollars that it may seem imprudent to spend at this moment.
What we need to remind ourselves of is the return on those dollars. The better question is this: Will Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia benefit from the 2010 Olympics? Absolutely. The Olympics mean tourism, jobs, business, and infrastructure improvements which will benefit the entire province now, and leave a lasting legacy for following generations. The economic activity generated by the games will be $10.7 billion, and that’s not to mention the undeniable boost BC’s profile will receive on a world-class stage – an opportunity which is priceless in its scope and possibility.
A year from now, it’s not certain whether the economy will have recovered or not. What is certain is that the Vancouver 2010 Olympics will play a huge part in BC’s recovery in the long-term; either by providing the boost we need to stabilize our economy, or by precipitating stabilization which may have already begun. The fact of the matter is, rather than bemoaning the current expense, we should be breathing a sigh of relief that we have the resources and the good fortune to be an Olympic host at a point in world history when it will have arguably the largest possible impact.
Other areas of the world, and Canada, won’t be anywhere near this lucky.