Oh please! I want one!
By Jeff Lee, Vancouver sunFebruary 7, 2010 9:29 PM
Quote:
The Vancouver Organizing Committee says it will put extra tickets to the opening Olympics ceremony on sale Tuesday after it conducts its dress rehearsal.
But it says tickets to almost all other events — with the exception of a few hockey and curling sessions and some victory ceremonies — have been sold out, although a small number of new tickets may become available.
“We are in the process of getting into all of our venues and establishing sight lines behind the cameras, so we do expect to have some releases in the coming week,” said Caley Denton, Vanoc’s vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing.
“After our ceremonies dress rehearsal tomorrow night (Monday) we expect we will be able to release some of our contingency for opening ceremonies once we’ve accounted for camera positions.”
Denton said Vanoc believes it has largely solved the “empty seat syndrome” — large blocks of empty seats that have peppered events at previous Olympics.
“We’re confident that we will have full venues. We’re not going to be perfect. We’re working closely with all of our partners to do our best to make sure every seat has a body in it,” he said. “It will be as good as we can make it.”
Despite the lack of tickets for sale, Vanoc has also opened up a third physical ticket box office where Denton said people will be able to pick up pre-purchased admissions. The new one outside BC Place is in addition to the main ticket offices at Robson Square in Vancouver and one in Whistler.
“We recommend if you see long lineups in front of the ticket office at Robson Square you head down to the stadium,” he said.
Vanoc also insisted that preparations of the competition venues at Cypress Mountain are on track despite the record warm temperatures. But they have cut back on training sessions for competitors and are busing athletes up to Whistler Blackcomb for free training.
Vanoc came under fire for barring international reporters from Cypress Mountain on the weekend. But Tim Gayda, the vice-president of sport, said the area was closed for safety reasons and promised media would be allowed to visit the venue this week.
“From a course perspective we are doing very well,” he said. “We do not have anything to hide.”
Although Vancouverites have been inundated with information about what to expect at the competition venues, Vanoc reiterated for international media the “spectator experience” it will deliver at the Games.
Using “appropriately dressed” fashion models, Vanoc said people going to mountain venues should be dressed warmly with weather- and windproof clothing and footwear. They should be prepared to be outside for up to an hour. And contrary to earlier information, spectators will be allowed to carry small fold-up umbrellas, said Jan Damnavits, Vanoc’s director of event services.
Spectators won’t be allowed to carry beverages or food into city venues, although they are being encouraged to bring snacks and bottled water on the Olympic bus network for trips to Whistler and Cypress Mountain.
Although spectators at Cypress face walks of up to two kilometres and in Whistler up to one kilometre, those who are handicapped will be able to use a shuttle service, Damnavits said.
People with special dietary requirements will also be given dispensation.
“Those with dietary restrictions, we will let you bring in what you need,” Damnavits said.
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Read Jeff Lee’s blog at vancouversun.com/insidetheolympics
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Source:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Vanoc+release+more+opening+ceremony+tickets/2535191/story.html
And according to report from CTV
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/about-vancouver/news/newsid=32556.html, ".. including some to the 2010 Games' most-sought after event, the men's gold medal hockey final..We expect at least a hundred extra for each event, and in some cases, even more than that...The extra seats may produce up to a thousand added admissions to the gala opening ceremonies on Friday..."
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I got *some* of my tickets in the mail today. Any tickets purchased before September 30th.
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