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Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

If the Olympics or other similar events are such raw deals why do all major established and developing cities vie for them? Hubris?? No, probably for the same reasons Toronto does which include the lure of a protective bubble of an economic boom sustained by increased government spending, infrastructure development, and spin-off benefits to all private industry sectors, and a huge boom to tourism (inlcuding again all the spin-offs to private commerce) as fed by enormous international media exposure. That many cities do not take advantage of this is clear but those that do can transform themselves. As others have said there are very few opportunities that come along that can provide such solid impetus for widescale and transformative city (re)development. Consider what Expo 67 and the Olympics may done for Montreal if it hadn't been so determined to pursue the idiot's dream of separatism. Toronto's destiny may have been much different.
 
GenerationW said:
Which renovations -- 67 or 99? I find it hard to believe the 67 renos spurred them to bid on a Cup more than 20 years later. And the 99 renos could only have fully affected 2006.

The ability to use economical, temporary seating clearly was the biggest factor that allowed Winnipeg to host all three Cups.
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ya honestly I got my dates mixed up. I have no clue why because I know the games were in 99 but I kept thinking of the games as though they were in 89. No clue why. My bad.

Well Wiki buys it, and you cited them first.

We're much closer to Winnipeg than London is to Portsmouth, and Bordeaux is more well-known worldwide than Toronto. And most of our "internationally renown" status comes from south of the border. We're just another burgh to most people overseas.
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wiki buys it because people buy it.

Have you been overseas? People know Toronto.
You don't really have an argument. All you're doing is picking at things (which is typical of you).
 
nfitz said:
They are currently working on a conversion to put a dome on Lamport from November through April. As most of the community usage at BMO Field is being moved to Lamport now that grass is being installed at BMO, Lamport will be very heavily used in the coming years.

Surely it doesn't meet the criteria for abandoned stadiums!
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I thought Lamport was going to be demolished and turned into a park by the developer constructing the condos on the north side of King right across from it.
 
Towered said:
I thought Lamport was going to be demolished and turned into a park by the developer constructing the condos on the north side of King right across from it.
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Given $millions that MLSE is pouring into it right now to put the bubble on and upgrade it, it seems very unlikely. The began a few weeks ago.
 
jn_12 said:
I think Beijing is a rather unique case. I don't think any Olympics will ever compare to theirs. The Chinese government put themselves in that position and I don't think their model can be applied anywhere else.
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I've often found it amusing that for a country known for short stature and um... small shoes, China's government is obsessed with gigantism in architecture, public displays and infrastructure.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I've often found it amusing that for a country known for short stature and um... small shoes, China's government is obsessed with gigantism in architecture, public displays and infrastructure.
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Well not only are they emerging from totalitarianism, a regime noted for monumentality, but they have 1.2 billion people. Everything is going to be on a monumental scale by necessity.

Canadians should be very much aware of how a large population changes the scale and scope of so many things. Look at Canada vs. the USA as a prime example. Almost everything down south is done on a bigger scale, more glitz, taller, showier, more extravagant, etc.

A massive population creates an ultra competitive society as you have more people to compete against to reach the very top. It's quite predictable that nations like the USA and China do things bigger than everyone else. China has simply taken it to a new level because they're far bigger than even the USA.
 
nfitz said:
They are currently working on a conversion to put a dome on Lamport from November through April. As most of the community usage at BMO Field is being moved to Lamport now that grass is being installed at BMO, Lamport will be very heavily used in the coming years.

Surely it doesn't meet the criteria for abandoned stadiums!
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That's good news. Will it be marked for football or soccer?

Disparishun said:
Look, the Pan Am games will be exactly what we make of them.
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I agree 100%, but that's not a lesson Torontonians seem to understand. If Toronto views something as mediocre or second tier, they abandon it rather than work to make it better. The Argonauts are a prime example of that. The Argonauts will be as big a deal or as insignificant as Torontonians make it. You reap what you sow! Americans get that, and built their football teams into what they are today over generations. Toronto could have a football team called the Argonauts that draw top talent and 100,000 fans/game. The only reason they don't is indifference by the citizenry.

Torontonians want a 'big time' football team handed to them on a silver platter, but aren't willing to put the time, effort, or money to achieve that. Toronto deserves the football team it has now, nothing more. Likewise, the type of Pan American Games Toronto produces will be a direct result of the support it gets from Torontonians. Little support = A 2nd rate event.

Lessons from the Argonauts experience don't give one reason for optimism.
 
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isaidso said:
I agree 100%, but that's not a lesson Torontonians seem to understand. If Toronto views something as mediocre or second tier, they abandon it rather than work to make it better. The Argonauts are a prime example of that.
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Yet we stand by the Leafs which is completely unfathomable. The surest way to Stanley Cup victory, eventually, is for fans and for Corporate Toronto to boycott a season, demanding better. Nothing more pathetic than Leaf fans, really... and I used to count myself as one of them!
 
Tewder said:
Yet we stand by the Leafs which is completely unfathomable. The surest way to Stanley Cup victory, eventually, is for fans and for Corporate Toronto to boycott a season, demanding better. Nothing more pathetic than Leaf fans, really... and I used to count myself as one of them!
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I think it just proves the earlier posters thought. The Leafs/NHL are perceived to be big league so we go.....the Marlies are not....so we don't....the Argos are by some but not by a lot so they suffer from the image problem as some wait for the NFL.
 
jn_12 said:
Have you been overseas? People know Toronto.
You don't really have an argument. All you're doing is picking at things (which is typical of you).
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Yes I've been overseas. They don't know Toronto nearly as well as some believe. I have plenty of arguments. And welcome to a typical forum.
 
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