Toronto bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics

Toronto 2008 was one of the five short-listed bids for the 2008 Games, presented by the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Bids for the
2008 (2008) Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Overview
Games of the XXIX Olympiad
XIII Paralympic Games
Winner: Beijing
Runner-up: Toronto
Shortlist: Paris · Istanbul · Osaka
Details
CityToronto, Ontario, Canada
NOCCanadian Olympic Committee (COC)
Previous Games hosted
None
Previously bid for 1996 Summer Olympics
Decision
ResultRunner-up (22 votes)

Toronto received permission to represent Canada from the Canadian Olympic Association (chosen over Vancouver). On January 16, 2000, the bid committee received a financial support guarantee from the province of Ontario, and it was sent to the IOC along with the bid book.[1]

Toronto's bid was led by a Toronto citizen John Bitove, a businessman and founder of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The bid focused the Olympic events on a compact area along the city's Lake Ontario waterfront. The Olympic village would have been built on reclaimed industrial areas, and the city's plans called for construction of a new rapid transit network connecting the venues.[2]

The evaluation committee spoke highly of Toronto's bid. In particular, they noted the city's financial plan, the concentration of athletes into a central Olympic area, and existing transportation infrastructure as positives. The Evaluation Report stated that

the compact sports concept based on a unique site adjacent to the city centre with good transport links and a legacy to sport make the bid very attractive. The major challenge is the capacity of the combined private sector and government alliance to deliver the waterfront sports venues and Village developments (...) However, the Commission is confident that this could be achieved and that Toronto would stage an excellent Games.[3]

By June 2001, Toronto and Beijing were in close competition for selection as the host city. That month, the mayor of Toronto, Mel Lastman, made a derogatory remark about the city of Mombasa, Kenya, just before a trip to that country to lobby IOC officials. The comment provoked controversy around the world, and particular concern among African delegates to the IOC. Press reports suggested that the comments may have influenced the decision of the IOC.[4]

It was the second time that Toronto had lost a bid to host a Summer Olympics, as they bid for the 1996 Games, but lost to Atlanta. But two years later, the Canadian city of Vancouver bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and won.

Bid details

According to organisers, 70% of the venues needed to host the Olympics in Toronto had already been built.[5] The proposed venues concept comprised:[6]

Competition venues

VenueLocationOlympic sport(s)Paralympic sport(s)
Olympic Waterfront Cluster
Air Canada CentreTorontobasketballwheelchair basketball
Ashbridge's Bay BeachTorontobeach volleyball
Toronto DowntownTorontocycling (road race, individual time trial)cycling (road race, individual time trial
Exhibition Place Aquatic CentreTorontoaquatics (waterpolo), modern pentathlon
Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontofencing, judofencing
Molson Canadian AmphitheatreTorontoweightliftingpowerlifting
National Tennis CentreTorontotennistennis
National Trade CentreTorontobadminton, gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic, trampoline),
table tennis, taekwondo, modern penthathlon
boccia, judo, rugby, table tennis
Olympic Aquatic CentreTorontoaquatics (diving, synchronized swimming, swimming)aquatics (swimming)
Olympic Archery CentreTorontoarcheryarchery
Olympic Modern Pentathlon Equestrian CentreTorontomodern pentathlonequestrian
Olympic Sailing MarinaTorontosailingsailing
Olympic Shooting CentreTorontoshooting (rifle, pistol)shooting
Olympic StadiumTorontoathletics, football (final)athletics
Olympic Velodrome and Multisport CentreTorontocycling (track, road race, individual time trial),
wrestling

cycling (track, individual time trial)

Richmond GreenRichmond Hillbaseball
SkyDomeTorontobaseball, softball
Ricoh ColiseumTorontohandballvolleyball (standing)
Toronto Olympic Regatta CentreTorontocanoe (sprint, slalom), rowing
World Cup Triathlon CourseTorontotriathlon
York University ArenaTorontobasketball (intellectual disability), goalball,
volleyball (sitting)
Other venues
Brampton Centre for Sports and EntertainmentBramptonbasketball
Copps ColiseumHamiltonboxing
Durham CollegeOshawasoftball
Frank Clair StadiumOttawafootball (group matches)
Hardwood HillsOro-Medontecycling (mountain bike)
Hershey CentreMississaugavolleyball (indoor)wheelchair basketball, volleyball (standing)
Ivor Wynne StadiumHamiltonfootball (group matches)
Caledon Equestrian ParkPalgrave, Ontarioequestrian
Oshawa Skeet and Gun ClubOshawashooting (trap and skeet)
Vaughan Grove Sports ParkVaughanfootball (group matches)

References

  1. Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid, GamesBids.com, retrieved 2014-07-27
  2. "Plan for Toronto's 2008 bid unveiled". London: Associated Press. 1999-11-10. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  3. "Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 2008" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. 2001-04-03. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  4. Michaelis, Vicki (2001-07-13). "IOC puts its hopes in Beijing". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  5. "All eyes on Games vote". CNN. 13 July 2001. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  6. Toronto 2008 Proposed Event Venues, GamesBids.com, archived from the original on 3 March 2016, retrieved 2014-07-27
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.