2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Super-Thread

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by nova9

The omega store took over part of the lobby area. It was just couches and tables for guests to sit while waiting to be checked in or whatever. It was a dead space that's much better now.

Thanks. I didn't think there was retail there before.

[SpongeG]

more street closures - Vanoc can now clsoe abbot street whenever they want until the end of march

i noticed fencing going in along where stadium station and costco are - looks like that road will be closed soon too according to the news tonight

[Yume-sama]

Is there a place in Vancouver to buy other Countries Olympic gear. Like, say, Team Finland, Sweden, Russia, etc. Olympic hockey jerseys?

An abundance of places sell Canada, but I'd expect people from those Countries want to represent in 2010

[sacrifice333]

^Good Question...

Thought you all might know some answers about the Fan-to-Fan 2010 ticket selling forum...

First, anyway to know if anything's actually selling on there?

Second, for ticket sellers, is the fee taken upon posting, or upon sale? What happens if your tickets don't sell... VANOC still going to try to collect their fee?

[Overground]

I heard the Bay might be selling gear from other countries, we know they already sell USA stuff. Well I phoned them up and went through a variety of staff members and none of them could answer the question. In fact, their customer service was terrible.
I therefore contacted the British Olympic Assoc., as I would like to buy some gear from them, but they haven't got back to me yet. Something tells me the BOA won't have anything available to the public.


edit. The Bay will be selling kits from other countries. "The U.S. Team apparel is the first of many of the competing National Olympic Teams' replica uniforms that will be launching at the Bay's Downtown Vancouver store," said Mark Kinnin, vice president, global sourcing and Olympics for the Hudson's Bay Company.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../08/c9050.html

[sacrifice333]

Didn't get tickets to Whistler downhill events?

With just a Whistler Blackcomb lift ticket you can have some access to public viewing areas for both Olympic and Paralympic downhill events. Click here to view the map.

[nova9]

Originally Posted by Overground

I heard the Bay might be selling gear from other countries, we know they already sell USA stuff. Well I phoned them up and went through a variety of staff members and none of them could answer the question. In fact, their customer service was terrible.
I therefore contacted the British Olympic Assoc., as I would like to buy some gear from them, but they haven't got back to me yet. Something tells me the BOA won't have anything available to the public.


edit. The Bay will be selling kits from other countries. "The U.S. Team apparel is the first of many of the competing National Olympic Teams' replica uniforms that will be launching at the Bay's Downtown Vancouver store," said Mark Kinnin, vice president, global sourcing and Olympics for the Hudson's Bay Company.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../08/c9050.html

I asked an employee at the Olympic store concierge desk that said he knew that there will be other NOC gear, if not on the main floor than on a floor above. So perhaps this is corroboration as well but take it with a grain of salt just in case.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Is there a place in Vancouver to buy other Countries Olympic gear. Like, say, Team Finland, Sweden, Russia, etc. Olympic hockey jerseys?

An abundance of places sell Canada, but I'd expect people from those Countries want to represent in 2010

probably at the countries houses

if you want USA stuff there is USA oltmpic store at the peach arch outlet mall or whatever they call it now

[SpongeG]

if you watched CTV don't go downtown after canada wins a medal - the police will beat you dwon like they did that poor new years guy who from my viewing was doing nothing that justified the much larger police man throwing him to the ground anf practically knocking him out

disturbing

[1ajs]

well ty van guys for this random gift even if temp of causing the esplinade riel to be colourized at night

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

if you watched CTV don't go downtown after canada wins a medal - the police will beat you dwon like they did that poor new years guy who from my viewing was doing nothing that justified the much larger police man throwing him to the ground anf practically knocking him out

disturbing

It's Vancouver. There will be a riot whether they win the Gold Medal or not.

I'll take cover in the arena.

[zivan56]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

if you watched CTV don't go downtown after canada wins a medal - the police will beat you dwon like they did that poor new years guy who from my viewing was doing nothing that justified the much larger police man throwing him to the ground anf practically knocking him out

disturbing

Yeah that was sickening. I think a large amount of any police force has people with mental/emotional issues which causes them to do stuff like that (from being bullied in school and now wanting revenge, etc).
At least I know the VPD does, some really disturbed people working there (this coming from a close friend who was in the process of joining the force and spent 3 months training there). Hell, I even met fomer chief Graham and he *really* has some major OCD issues among others.

[raggedy13]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

well ty van guys for this random gift even if temp of causing the esplinade riel to be colourized at night

Esplanade Riel looks great. My favourite modern bridge in the country.

Thanks for the pics.

[SpongeG]

dumb question is the flame actually being run everywhere or do they just drive it from town and than run in the town?

[1ajs]

its gone by train plane and car so i would say probly yes to ur question

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by raggedy13

Esplanade Riel looks great. My favourite modern bridge in the country.

Thanks for the pics.

txs and np man

[officedweller]

From NEWS1130:

Another "sign" the Olympics are getting closer. The first batch of street banners for the games is being unveiled today in Vancouver. Workers will be on hand at 10:00a.m. at City Hall to show off the latest Olympic and Paralympic banners. The first will be featured along one block of Cambie Street between 24th and King Edward.

[sacrifice333]

Heard on the radio that these banners will help to show the world our "flair"

[johnjimbc]

Not sure why they would have done so, but Hudson Bay has removed a couple of their visa banners this morning, from the Seymour side. They aren't even next to each other. One is right at the Seymour and Georgia corner (on side facing Seymour) and the other is 3 over. So at this point there is a blank set of windows, then 2 banners, followed by another blank set of windows.

I had thought maybe they'd be working on it this afternoon, either taking more down for something else or replacing those they removed. But I haven't seen any work since this morning.

I can't imagine it's going to stay how it is right now. Nothing seemed wrong with the existing banners on those windows so hope something interesting is going on.

[SpongeG]

maybe the athlete is no longer sponsored by visa?

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Olympic organizers struggle to use all the free products for 2010 Games

VANCOUVER, B.C. - A power struggle at Vancouver's Olympic headquarters has left staff divided into two camps: those who get to keep their BlackBerrys and those who don't.

Since Waterloo-based Research In Motion (TSX:RIM), maker of the beloved communication device, is not a sponsor, Olympic staffers are being forced to turn in their BlackBerrys for an Omnia or a Vice, both made by South Korea's Samsung, official provider of wireless communications equipment for the 2010 Olympics.

The move has been met with a thumbs down by some staffers at the organizing committee, known as VANOC, who are frustrated with the touch-screen devices, saying key functions like sending and reading e-mail are nearly impossible.

Officially, VANOC downplays the concerns, saying staffers with Samsungs just need to get used to the product.

"The value-in-kind we get is fully useful, meets our needs and fully offsets the budget we would otherwise have to spend," said Dave Cobb, deputy executive director of the organizing committee.

Still, concerted lobbying at VANOC headquarters has meant a compromise allowing some staffers to discreetly keep their device, a rare breach of official sponsor protocol.

The 64 sponsors of the Games are covering off more than half of VANOC's $1.75 billion operating budget, commitments they make in cash and goods to have give products exclusive status at the Games.

"Getting value in kind for something is in our budget, (its) as good as cash for us," said Cobb.

Cobb said VANOC built its budget in part by looking for sponsors that could provide the goods they neded to put on the Games.

So, value-in-kind deals are how VANOC got the 25,000 volunteer uniforms from HBC, more than 5,000 mattresses for the athletes village from Sleep Country Canada, more than 4,600 cars from GM and thousands of litres of hand sanitizer from ALDA Pharmaceuticals (TSXV:APH), all of it for free.

Samsung will provide 9,200 units for VANOC, the International Olympic Committee and assorted VIPs to use during the Games.

"We expect the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games to generate more wireless content than any previous Olympics," said a statement from Howard Thomas, director of corporate marketing for Samsung Electronics Canada.

"It is our goal to help people - from athletes to spectators, officials to volunteers - capture and share this content with others around the world."

.....

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo.../80856982.html