HUGE $1.7 Billion Halifax 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid Dropped (thankfully)

[dumpthemonarchy]

I was aghast to learn the dropped 2014 Haliax bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games was up to $1.7 billion bucks, in 2007. Seems a little steep for a third rate sporting event. And costs would likely be much much higher by 2014.

For those fiscal conservatives who worry about the cost of switching over to a republic, here is some important evidence that it would be much cheaper to leave the Commonwealth altogether so this loser sporting event falls off our financial backs forever. Cities always have the chance to bid for the CW Games and it needs to end.


CBC News - Nova Scotia - Halifax drops out of Commonwealth Games race

Halifax drops out of Commonwealth Games race

Last Updated: Thursday, March 8, 2007 | 5:07 PM AT

CBC News


Canada is out of the race for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as Halifax abandoned its bid Thursday, saying the $1.7-billion cost was too high.

"To say that I am disappointed, to say that I am astonished would be to bring understatement to a new level," said Andrew Pipe, president of Commonwealth Games Canada.

The event, he said, was "eminently winnable."

Municipal and provincial politicians said once inflation is factored in, the bid budget is close to $1.7 billion — almost $1 billion higher than originally stated — and the risks associated with pursuing the Games are too high.

"I am very sorry that we have not been able to move forward with this," said Barry Barnet, Nova Scotia's minister of health promotion.

"But you know I have to be responsible. We are $700 million short in terms of our ability to meet our obligations to host these Games."

Halifax regional council voted to withdraw its support at an emergency meeting Thursday morning, but it was a difficult decision, said Mayor Peter Kelly.

"We must do what the taxpayers of HRM expect us to do and that is protect their financial interests both in the short term and in the long term," Kelly said.

Officials said the team of consultants hired to analyze the Games found there were questionable revenue projections and insufficient contingency funding that could leave the province at risk in case of cost overruns.

In addition, the consultants said 92 per cent of the cost of the Games would have to be provided by taxpayers, a higher level than was expected.

The federal government said it would commit only $400 million if Halifax won the bid, while the province said it would spend up to $300 million.
Thursday's announcement came amid growing concern that Halifax and the province couldn't afford the Games, which were first pegged at $785 million.
'Never given that opportunity'

Fred MacGillivray, president of the Halifax bid committee, lashed out at the province and municipality, accusing them of giving in to a vocal minority of local critics opposed to the bid.

He said the two levels of government made a knee-jerk reaction and the bid team was prepared to bring the cost down to a figure everyone could afford.

"We recognize if we changed some locations we may be able to reduce that number further. We asked, we were never given that opportunity," MacGillivray said.

Many supporters of the Halifax bid argued the city would get new sports facilities only if it won the Games, while others said the event would shine an international spotlight on the city and raise its profile.

"I can't describe how disappointed we are," said Chris Algar, a 1999 Canada Games athlete. "I feel this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us.

"They're saying we couldn't host it because we don't have the infrastructure. This is a chance to build that infrastructure. How do you suppose we're going to get it now?"
Accepts decision

Don Mills, chair of Bring on the Games, a group supporting the bid, said he was disappointed with the decision to withdraw but backs the province and city.
"We accept the verdict of the two levels of government in terms of the issue of affordability," said Mills, one day after he accused Kelly and Premier Rodney MacDonald of a lack of leadership on the issue.

Kelly said the Halifax team vying for the Games had spent up to $7 million as of the end of January trying to win the event.

The bid team announced last November it would cost $14.3 million to plan and design venues and facilities, as well as hire experts to sell the bid. At the end of 2006, the travel bill to 33 countries was almost $500,000.

When asked if the withdrawal will hurt Nova Scotia's reputation abroad, Barnet said the most important thing is the reputation at home.

Halifax won the right to be the Canadian bid city in 2005, beating Hamilton, Ottawa and the York region.

With Halifax out of the race, the competition for the 2014 event is among

Glasgow, Scotland and Abuja, Nigeria. The winner will be announced in November.


​

 

[TenPenny]

Thank goodness for that.

What a horrendous waste of money.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Thank goodness for that.

What a horrendous waste of money.

It totally is and something ought to be done about it. We need to reduce our boondoggles. I mean compared to the World Cup of soccer or the Olympics, this event is nowhere.

The 2015 Pan-Am Games will be held in Toronto-Hamilton will cost taxpayers about $2.5 billion. See link. The cost will likely double or triple. Time to dump the CW Games, we have deficits to rein in and something has to go.

TheSpec.com - BreakingNews - Toronto-Hamilton wins Pan Am Games bid

 

[taxslave]

Time to quit forcing taxpayers to finance sporting events of all kinds. If your sport can't make it on its own too bad. Us poor people got taxes to pay for health care, education, politicians spending and bribes. Have to make the occasional mortgage payment and buy some groceries as well.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

That was done in the spring, thankfully. It sure would have been a hard sell considering Dexter is raising the provincial portion of the HST to bring it up to 15% effective, WHOA, day after tomorrow!!!8O Yup, the tax burden would have been nearly an extra $1000 per resident of NS for, as you say, a third rate event.

 

[TenPenny]

The countries that host these games, the Olympics, PanAm Games, Commonwealth Games etc etc spend huge amounts of money for very little return. It's all for prestige and publicity, but it's generally a waste of money.

Far better to send our athletes to attend, but not to bother hosting, in my opinion.

 

[Knowzilla]

For those fiscal conservatives who worry about the cost of switching over to a republic, here is some important evidence that it would be much cheaper to leave the Commonwealth altogether

Your mixing up the Commonwealth with the Canadian Monarchy once more. The federal government of Canada could right now decide to leave the Commonwealth of Nations on it's own, just like it can leave the UN like so. But to abolish the Canadian monarchy, it would require the consent of the Senate, the House of Commons, and ALL TEN Provincial Legislatures. Leaving the Commonwealth won't make Canada a republic.

Personally on this specific issue, I think they should get rid of these Commonwealth games, Olympic games, and so on. At no time are the inhabitants and taxpayers of those cities consulted, and at no time are they happy to pay to host those sports games, whose organizers say that they help bring countries together, when it just creates more competition.

Though I must say, they are good chance for a country to show off it's culture, like at the Vancouver games. But that can be done through other means.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Your mixing up the Commonwealth with the Canadian Monarchy once more. The federal government of Canada could right now decide to leave the Commonwealth of Nations on it's own, just like it can leave the UN like so. But to abolish the Canadian monarchy, it would require the consent of the Senate, the House of Commons, and ALL TEN Provincial Legislatures. Leaving the Commonwealth won't make Canada a republic.

Personally on this specific issue, I think they should get rid of these Commonwealth games, Olympic games, and so on. At no time are the inhabitants and taxpayers of those cities consulted, and at no time are they happy to pay to host those sports games, whose organizers say that they help bring countries together, when it just creates more competition.

Though I must say, they are good chance for a country to show off it's culture, like at the Vancouver games. But that can be done through other means.

It's all a package. To say the monarchy and CW Games are not related is naive and untrue.

Because Canada is not the land of revolutions, we need to whittle away at all things monarchy. The CW Games is a good start because of its needless cost as a third rate sporting event. Leaving the CW Games would create some real discussion on leaving the CW too, which would create questions why we have a queen anyway.

The people of BC were consulted about the Olympic Games, we loved them. Both political parties supported them, mayors too. The vocal opposition was wrong.

 

[Knowzilla]

It's all a package. To say the monarchy and CW Games are not related is naive and untrue.

They are completely unrelated, and the only way the Commonwealth of Nations and the Canadian monarchy is related is because the Commonwealth and Canada both have The Queen as head. Canada could stop participating in the CW games, and it could even leave the Commonwealth, and the Canadian Monarchy would still remain. All it takes to leave the Commonwealth for example is a decision by the federal government.

On the other hand the abolishment of the Canadian monarchy would require the unanimous consent of the federal parliament and all ten provincial legislatures.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

They are completely unrelated, and the only way the Commonwealth of Nations and the Canadian monarchy is related is because the Commonwealth and Canada both have The Queen as head. Canada could stop participating in the CW games, and it could even leave the Commonwealth, and the Canadian Monarchy would still remain. All it takes to leave the Commonwealth for example is a decision by the federal government.

On the other hand the abolishment of the Canadian monarchy would require the unanimous consent of the federal parliament and all ten provincial legislatures.

But things like the CW Games give the monarchy momentum in Canadian politics and society. The fewer departments of govt that have anything to do with our consititutional link with the UK whittle away at it.

The media has many stories about the CW Games because we are in them. Canada drops out, and they vanish from the Canadian mindset and conversations. No cities will try to compete to get them and the interest that creates among business and other groups. In Vancouver, Empire Stadium which is now Empire Field came from them. They would became the Asian/African Games and when are they?

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

The countries that host these games, the Olympics, PanAm Games, Commonwealth Games etc etc spend huge amounts of money for very little return. It's all for prestige and publicity, but it's generally a waste of money.

Far better to send our athletes to attend, but not to bother hosting, in my opinion.

You can't be a major country in the world and always mooch. What prestige is there in the dated CW Games? Agreed they are a waste of money now.

Why are we in an event where animals roam the streets, people live and urinate everywhere, and with armies of beggars?

If the BC govt had evicted all the beggars from Vancouver from the 2010 Olympic Games, you could imagine the outcry. For India, no problem. We are spending


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10696792

21 July 2010 Last updated at 20:08 ET

Banished from Delhi for Commonwealth Games
By Shantanu Guha Ray Delhi

Tens of thousands of squatters will have to leave the city during the Games

There is a grand plan to clean up the Indian capital for the Commonwealth Games - but it includes a very long list of who is to be banished from Delhi.
It started with stray dogs, slum dwellers and pavement squatters, but has now included cows, donkeys, bulls, goats, rats, snakes and even elephants and camels that are hired for general festivities and fairs.

And the cost to the government: an unfathomable $65m.
Delhi, a sprawling city of 16 million, is to host the Games from 3-14 October.
The Games will bring an estimated 10,000 athletes from 71 nations and territories to compete in 17 disciplines over 11 days.

In addition, there will be over 150,000 officials and an estimated 50,000 tourists.

The mess

"It is not easy to relocate nearly 250,000 stray dogs. Where are the homes?" asks Geeta Seshamani of Friendicoes, an NGO that takes care of stray animals in the city.

And it is the numbers that are causing the mess.

Delhi's beautification plan has no space for cattle

Consider the number of beggars. The municipal corporation estimates them at 60,000, but that is based on a survey done a decade ago.

According to estimates given by local NGOs, the number now is actually double.
"The government is trying to sweep the poor under the carpet. This will not help. Let's seek a more humane way of addressing a centuries' old problem," says Bibek Debroy, one of India's top economists.

Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti, the home secretary in India's eastern West Bengal state, who was recently asked by the Delhi government to take back beggars speaking ethnic Bengali, agrees.

"We have 75,000 beggars in our state and then Delhi wants to send its beggars.
"Moreover, how will we know that all Bengali language-speaking beggars in Delhi are from West Bengal and not from Bangladesh," Mr Chakrabarti asks?

'Mission impossible'

Delhi is also trying to figure out what to do with the 60,000 pavement squatters and another 800,000 slum dwellers.
"Should we dump everyone on the borders of Delhi and bring them back after the Games are over?" asks Dunu Roy, director at Hazards Centre, a Delhi-based non-profit group that provides professional services to community and labour organisations.

The government says it will provide flats to those evicted, and spend $5,000 per family.

"But - given past experiences - only a fourth of the affected families will get flats," Mr Roy argues.

Officials say there are 60,000 beggars in Delhi

But the city must get ready for the sporting extravaganza.
Thanks to the Games, 26 new flyovers and 18 railway bridges have been built at a cost of $1.4bn.

The city has got 3,775 low-floor buses, the city metro - with a $3.4bn budget - has moved into the suburbs and the Indian capital has got a new airport terminal capable of handling 60 million passengers a year.

The Games budget - predictably - has undergone several revisions.
From the initial projection of $413m, the estimates now range from the official figure of $2bn to the unofficial estimates of $6bn.

The big relocation and beautification project has drawn flak from several quarters because Delhi officials routinely updated their list of demands so that it began to resemble a mission impossible.

For example, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) wants to clean the city of all rats.

"We propose to buy thousands of traps," says MCD's veterinary department director RBS Tyagi.

He says the MCD will also get incinerators to dispose of the dead rodents.
Such an idea has its critics. "Catching rats will also be ineffective because more rats simply move in to take their place. Why not keep Delhi's streets clean and free of garbage?" asks Poorva Joshipura of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).

Snake charmers needed

That alone might not solve the problem.

The MCD will have to install over 10,000 public urinals to prevent people from urinating in public, fine people for spitting and throwing garbage on the streets and hire snake charmers to rid the city of its snakes before the Games.
It will also have to get local cowboys to clean the streets of its cattle population that stands at a whopping 45,000.

"It is a bit of madness that's creeping in," says Shalini Mishra, a research officer at the Delhi-based Habitat International Coalition, an NGO that recently released a critical report on the impact of the Games.

"Where will they get the snake charmers from?
"All this is to increase the city's civic pride but the heart is lost," she adds.

 

[Kreskin]

Glasgow, Scotland and Abuja, Nigeria. The winner will be announced in November.

The Nigerian Games could be funded by adding a tax to EBAY scams.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

CBBC - Newsround - British cyclists pull out of Commonwealth Games

British cyclists pull out of Commonwealth Games

Some of Britain's top cycling stars have pulled out of the Commonwealth Games later this year to concentrate on the 2012 Olympics.

Victoria Pendelton, who won gold in the Beijing games, and Chris Hoy, who is a four-time Olympic champion, have both decided not to compete in Delhi.

It's because the European Cycling Championships are on at the same time.
Riders can earn points there towards Olympic qualification, but they can't at the Commonwealth Games.

 

[petros]

No CFL for Halifax either I guess eh?

 

[Praxius]

So don't bid to host the games.... or don't even send our athletes off to perform in these games.... doesn't matter to me. What I don't get is trying to use the Commonwealth Games and Halifax dropping out of the bidding as some excuse or justification to drop out of the Commonwealth altogether, or even to drop our Monarchy.

As if a Republic would be oh so much better or not come with its own set of complications and issues people would complain about...... cuz a Republic is working so well in unifying the US and cuz a Republic has ridden their nation of political corruption and things like world games and events are not decided on without the public's consent.

In the original report supplied to this topic, the argument presented is that these type of events are bid on and tax payers money is spent without any confirmation from the public in what they want.... yet in the same report supplied, the Mayor is quoted in saying that they dropped their bidding because they considered the tax payers of Halifax's wishes and expectations.......

..... which completely counters the original argument that the politicians don't listen to the public's wishes in regards to these events as the original poster claimed was the case.... and was also apparently the case to justify dropping out of the commonwealth altogether, as well as drop the Monarchy.

All I see is a piss poor argument presented on information that contradicts their justifications.

Speaking as someone who lives in the HRM, I have no concerns one way or another if the games were held here or not.... but the mayor and others involved in the decision making concluded it was too much to ask of the tax payers and went against the wishes of the majority of the public...... which sounds like good reasoning to me to not host the games here.

What else is there to discuss?

The city is no longer seeking to host the games, they explained their reasons clearly, those involved in the decision making decided to abide by the tax payer's wishes (as they should) ..... end of story really.

There might have been a legit argument if the city decided to continue with the bidding for the games against the public's wishes and that could have opened up a debate towards remaining in the commonwealth or holding to the Monarchy...... but the example provided doesn't fit the debate criteria to expand the discussion that far.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

So don't bid to host the games.... or don't even send our athletes off to perform in these games.... doesn't matter to me. What I don't get is trying to use the Commonwealth Games and Halifax dropping out of the bidding as some excuse or justification to drop out of the Commonwealth altogether, or even to drop our Monarchy.

As if a Republic would be oh so much better or not come with its own set of complications and issues people would complain about...... cuz a Republic is working so well in unifying the US and cuz a Republic has ridden their nation of political corruption and things like world games and events are not decided on without the public's consent.

In the original report supplied to this topic, the argument presented is that these type of events are bid on and tax payers money is spent without any confirmation from the public in what they want.... yet in the same report supplied, the Mayor is quoted in saying that they dropped their bidding because they considered the tax payers of Halifax's wishes and expectations.......

..... which completely counters the original argument that the politicians don't listen to the public's wishes in regards to these events as the original poster claimed was the case.... and was also apparently the case to justify dropping out of the commonwealth altogether, as well as drop the Monarchy.

All I see is a piss poor argument presented on information that contradicts their justifications.

Speaking as someone who lives in the HRM, I have no concerns one way or another if the games were held here or not.... but the mayor and others involved in the decision making concluded it was too much to ask of the tax payers and went against the wishes of the majority of the public...... which sounds like good reasoning to me to not host the games here.

What else is there to discuss?

The city is no longer seeking to host the games, they explained their reasons clearly, those involved in the decision making decided to abide by the tax payer's wishes (as they should) ..... end of story really.

There might have been a legit argument if the city decided to continue with the bidding for the games against the public's wishes and that could have opened up a debate towards remaining in the commonwealth or holding to the Monarchy...... but the example provided doesn't fit the debate criteria to expand the discussion that far.

The monarchy, the Commonwealth, the CW Games, altogerther an expensive package for the country. To put on the CW Games will cost several billion bucks, and for what? A third rate sporting event with third world countries. Hey, we have a large federal deficit and debt, we have to look to ways to reduce it, and this is an easy one. Drop out of the CW Games and Commonwealth.

You don't need to be a republic to have corruption, we have plenty in Canada. Just look at the abuse of EI/UI. Or the grossly big security budget for the G8/G20.