2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Super-Thread

[hollywoodnorth]

Business in Vancouver September 16-22, 2008; issue 986

Vancouver’s 2010 Games taxi fleet won’t be up to the task

Countdown: 73 weeks until the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

2010 Gold Rush: Bob Mackin

The British Columbia Canada Pavilion in Beijing closes this week, but will attendance figures justify the $14.7 million trade and tourism promotion?

The bold move to rent space in the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall near Tiananmen Square may have backfired because of the unforeseen security paranoia created by local authorities. Access to the area was difficult at times. It was also a long way from any Olympic competition venue, especially the Olympic Green.

There were lineups at the second-floor bar for cold bottles of Whistler Lager, but never did I see one for the main entrance during my several August visits.

It was a different story at the 798 Art District in northeastern Beijing, where converted factories house edgy art in an area best described as Granville Island with lots of grit and no water. Better known to the locals as “Dashanzi,” 798 was where the Swiss government located its House of Switzerland 2008, China. The spacious and bright tourism and trade exhibit included a restaurant and bar and a big screen to watch competitions. Even Swiss tennis great Roger Federer showed up to show off his doubles tennis gold medal. It was open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. with no admission charge. No wonder it drew 123,788 visits between August 1 and 24.

That is more than the attendance for the House of Switzerland at Athens 2004 and Torino 2006 combined.

Fare Games

Those who experienced the Beijing Games and got around via the efficient taxi system are in for a rude awakening at Vancouver 2010 because of the high fares and long waits for service they’re bound to experience.

Vancouver has 577 licensed cabs and Mayor Sam Sullivan, who vacates office later this fall, wants 820 by Games time. That still may not satisfy demand. It could translate into good times for rental car companies.

Bill McNeice of Associated Canadian Care Rental Operators says his industry’s best chance at reaping Olympic rewards is via one or two-month corporate or government contracts, instead of visitors needing cars for a day or a week.

“There are not going to be an abundance of cars on the ground waiting for consumers,” McNeice said.

Public Works and Government Services Canada met September 12 with rental companies to discuss the federal 2010 secretariat’s desire to rent cars, trucks and vans from January to March 2010 in Metro Vancouver, Whistler, Fraser Valley and Southern Vancouver Island.

Stick up

Skate Canada brought the national figure skating team to Vancouver for the third of four annual late-summer training camps.

Before they hit the ice of the Pacific Coliseum, the 2010 competition venue, the skaters saluted new cookware and small appliance sponsor T-fal in a September 10 reception at the floating Lift bar and grill.

T-fal, a brand of French-based giant Groupe SEB, will promote its wares at Skate Canada events and point-of-sale.

“It’s an area of sponsorship that Skate Canada has rarely been involved in,” said Skate Canada marketing and communications director Debbi Wilkes. “For T-fal it’s kind of an unusual step.”

But not an illogical one, what with the relationship between steel and slippery surfaces. “We were figuring out how to connect ourselves with Skate Canada,” said senior product manager Jasmine Dugal.

“Looking at the non-stick was a fun way to look at it, the ice is non-stick and so are our products.”

From the false start department

VANOC’s media embargo, mentioned last week, turned out to be for the $22 price of tickets to the nightly medals ceremonies at B.C. Place Stadium February 13 to 25, 2010.

There could be news on the advertising campaign September 17 when vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing Caley Denton speaks to the Vancouver Board of Trade.

[sacrifice333]

almost 7... still looks the same.

[mr.x]

That's weird....the news articles about the ticketing program a few weeks ago mentioned that VANOC would be unveiling today its "look of the Games" and launching a new website.

[mooks28]

They did. Site goes live tomorrow morning. The 'look' was revealed today.

[officedweller]

VANOC unveils 2010 sports pictograms

Wednesday, September 17 - 11:41:58 AM

Shane Bigham
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The Vancouver 2010 Olympic 'image' is coming more into focus today. VANOC has unveiled the 2010 Olympics graphic identity, including colour schemes and pictograms associated with each sport and venue.

VANOC also introduced other graphic design elements for venues, merchandise, as well as volunteer and staff uniforms. The grey, green and blue colours of mist, forest and ocean symbolize the 'sea-to-sky' regional aspect of the Games. Those colours and symbols will dominate everything from banners to in-venue signage--even postcards.

The pictograms are sport illustrations that VANOC says will convey the visual personality of the Games to the world. Traditional pictograms rely on a simplified silhouette form to depict each sport. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic pictograms depict each sport while incorporating the added dynamism of the athlete in motion.

VANOC says more focus has been put on the athlete in order to convey the "human and heroic qualities within the silhouette". The addition of the highlighted areas on the athlete’s body and equipment helps to convey the speed and fluidity of each sport.

Beijing used black and white stick-figure like art--relatively simple drawings similar to what's been used at previous Games since they were first introduced unofficially in London in 1948. They became an official Olympic element at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

VANOC says its designs include elements of the region's spectacular natural scenery.



Pictogram for alpine skiing
All images TM/MC VANOC


All images TM/MC VANOC

[sacrifice333]

Lots of updates today.

[dreambrother808]

^^

those pictograms flat out suck.... boring.... styleless...

[deasine]

I agree... I think the original ones look better

[mr.x]

^ those aren't our pictograms, they were borrowed from Lillehammer or Albertville by the bid committee.

[mr.x]

The original brand was better in my opinion:





The new brand itself:

[mr.x]

Actually, I LOVE IT!

[mr.x]

Vanoc unveils new graphic illustrations for 2010 Games

Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee unveiled its new graphic illustrations at a Board of Trade luncheon at Canada Place today.

The illustrations -- which the design team said involved enough research to circumnavigate the globe four times -- will be featured on 2010 Olympic banners, signage, venues and merchandise.

The illustrations are primarily blue, green and white in colour, and feature layers of illustrations. The aim was to highlight Vancouver's natural beauty, as well as its modern, urban side.

The sports pictograms are more modern than those of Games past, designers said, reflecting the evolution of the sports.

"We're very proud of them," said Vanoc spokeswoman Renee Smith-Valade.

Canadian Olympians Amanda Overland (short track speed skating), Chris Wong (freestyle skiing), Anne-Marie Lefrançois (alpine skiing) and Paralympian Tyler Mosher (cross-country skiing) unveiled the pictograms and the series of sport illustrations.

They were created in collaboration with illustrator Irene Jacobs of I'm JAC Design, and incorporate elements designed by Xwa lack tun, a Vancouver-based Aboriginal artist.

"The pictograms and sport illustrations were inspired by modern sport photography, pop culture, fashion illustration and manga-style comics (a Japanese genre of comic books) to give athletes an heroic feel and a close-up view of their intensity and athleticism, while also serving as an inspiration to youth," Vanoc said in a release.

Tomorrow, Vanoc will launch a refreshed website designed to offer an enhanced, in-depth and interactive experience for virtual visitors worldwide.

[sacrifice333]

a temporary placeholder website has been put up for the transition to the new site....

[sacrifice333]

the new site is up!

looks pretty good.

www.Vancouver2010.com

[officedweller]

The previous waves, etc (i.e. on the banner that Mr X posted) were cleaner looking - without the "interior designer-ish" patterns and textures - so they seemed more "sporty".

[mr.x]

Some of the original graphics:

[raggedy13]

Here's a link to an interesting video about the creative process behind the new theme:

http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/about-va...identity/-/54910/54900/iw10jd/index.html

[mr.x]

VSO to record more than 100 national anthems for 2010 Games

Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, September 19, 2008

METRO VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, together with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will record more than 100 national anthems of countries competing in the 2010 Winter Games at Surrey's Bell Performing Arts Centre.

The VSO, conducted by Maestro Bramwell Tovey, will record the anthems from Sunday, Sept. 21 through to Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008, with the full 73-piece orchestra according to a news release.

[deasine]

New Website Design

[mr.x]

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has recorded the rendition of our national anthem that will be played whenever we win gold in the 2010 Games. Click the link below to hear it.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/gallery/ohcanadavertwo/index.html



And here's the Algerian anthem:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/gallery/algeriananthem/index.html