Ottawa offers $20 million for Winter Games entertainment
Clare Ogilvie, The Province
Published: Thursday, November 08, 2007
WHISTLER -- Ottawa is giving Whistler and Vancouver $10 million each to host Live Site celebrations during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"We are confirming that $10 million is there," David Emerson, the federal minister responsible for the 2010 Games, told Whistler officials yesterday.
Whistler plans on hosting a 24-hour-a-day party every day of the Games.
The stage performances, musical acts, theatre and dance will run in six different sites throughout the village with the largest venue being the purpose-built Celebration Plaza. Up to 25,000 will be able to celebrate throughout the village.
The Plaza will also be the site of the closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games. Athletes will also receive medals at the plaza.
"It is an opportunity for us to create national pride and celebrate our culture," said Emerson.
To date, the budget for Whistler's celebrations is $20 million. Another $12 million will come from the Vancouver Organizing Committee's operational budget, and the resort will put in $7.5 million from a tax on tourists. The remainder will come from sponsors.
Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed said the Live Site plan was based on months of discussions.
The celebrations will not only leave the legacy of the Celebration Plaza, it will act as a catalyst for arts and culture in the community, said Melamed.
"We are convinced that this will carry forward into the years ahead and one of the messages that people will leave Whistler with is the association with culture as well as recreation and service," he said.
"Our intention is to create a party experience that you almost can't escape.
"We want people to have an opportunity to experience the Games whether they are inside the fence of the venue or outside. We really want to make this a true Olympiad for arts culture and sport."
To date no artists or performers have been confirmed, said Doti Niedermeyer, executive director of the Whistler Arts Council.
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© The Vancouver Province 2007