On to 2010

July 3, 2003

Thorpe Flip Flop's on his Future

Winning the 2010 Olympic bid may change Rick Thorpe's political career. On May 23rd Kelowna Capital News reported that Okanagan-Westside MLA Rick Thorpe and Kelowna-Lake Country MLA John Weisbeck indicated they won't run again. On July 3rd when interviewed on CFAX 1070 by Joe Easingwood, Thorpe denied that he was stepping down and said that he hadn't made up his mind. Could it be that the prospect of being named Minister Responsible for the 2010 Games will keep Thorpe in politics? Anyone who had their eye on the Liberal nomination to succeed Thorpe may be less than pleased with his flip flopping.

Thorpe is the Minister responsible for tourism, although in his interview with Easingwood, he wasn't able to offer the slightest idea of what BC will do to expand tourism marketing. He said that the government would work with Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver. He should know that his government is requiring Tourism BC to cough up $90 million as its share of the Convention Centre Expansion; that is money that would otherwise go to marketing BC. The Auditor General has made it clear that "…the economic impact scenarios with the biggest payoffs will require an exemplary tourism marketing program both before and after the Games for the whole of British Columbia (in addition to the Games marketing planned for by the Bid Corporation)."

Thorpe's response to questions about expanded marketing was to refer to "earned media", i.e. free coverage. Coverage following the July 2nd announcement was probably the biggest media hit the province will receive. Monitoring of US media shows that major outlets gave the story about 10 seconds. It was big news in the Pacific Northwest where communities along the I-5 hope to share in any bonanza, but CNN and the New York Times gave it minor coverage as one of many sports items. If that is the best that can be done with the big announcement, no one should hold their breath thinking that the games will market themselves. It will take big bucks in a major marketing campaign. BC should have a Minister from the Interior in charge of the games; pulling Thorpe back from the brink of retirement may not be the best choice.

July 2 , 2003

7 Long Years to 2010

"When given lemons, make lemonade" might be the best advice for those who opposed the Vancouver-Whistler bid. The process was nonpartisan. Jack Poole, John Furlong and their team deserve credit for their successful bid. The bid started with Glen Clark's backing. It was supported by Mayor Larry Campbell and Mike Harcourt during the referendum campaign, and it ended with Premier Gordon Campbell and Prime Minister Jean Cretien in Prague.

Seven years is a long time - think of how old you will be in 2010 and what you want to accomplish between now and then. There will be two provincial elections, at least two federal elections and two municipal elections before the first Olympic skier races down the slopes in Whistler. Kids just entering high school today could be nearing the end of a university degree by 2010. It is fine to build enthusiasm for the purpose of marketing BC around the 2010 games, but blind boosterism will not help to guard against a Montreal style financial disaster. With the end of the bid team's victory party comes the sober reality of successfully managing a multi-billion dollar event for which the province, and therefore provincial taxpayers, have signed a blank cheque. Any shortfalls are the full responsibility of the province with no help from Ottawa. It is essential that there not be any shortfalls.

As big and important as the 2010 games may be, their importance needs to be put in perspective. BC's GDP is over $134 billion - that's per year! Over the next seven years it will total over $1 trillion. The extra growth in GDP that might be attributable to the games is forecast to be between $2 billion and $4.1 billion over the next 12 to 17 years. Relative to the underlying BC economy, that is a lost decimal point that probably will defy measurement. What can be measured will be changes in specific industries, especially tourism. BC's Auditor General cautioned that "…the economic impact scenarios with the biggest payoffs will require an exemplary tourism marketing program both before and after the Games for the whole of British Columbia (in addition to the Games marketing planned for by the Bid Corporation)." Now is the time for BC to start that kind of tourism marketing program.