Mike in Horseheads Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 Well considering how building a new Peace Bridge is going, I shudder to think of all the things that could go wrong. That said, it's not a bad idea. Buffalo has RWS Stadium, UB Stadium, Cocoa Cola Field, and several decent sized high school stadiums that could host events. The Burt Flickinger Center by ECC Downtown is an excellent pool facility. We don't have anywhere near the amount of hotel rooms needed for such an event but we could probably host several sports. Cities can no longer afford to mortgage the cost of an Olympics alone. Many of the venues built in Bejing for their Olympics now sit empty and decaying. It makes more sense to use existing facilities. PTR That Peace Bridge analogy is perfect, they've been rebuilding it for 20 years. Besides WNY would get ping pong, badminton, trampoline, skeet shooting.... Toronto would get both cermonies, swimming, gymnastics, track, basketball, soccer etc.
Kelly the Dog Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 This could probably never work, but since this would be an historic joint venture between two countries thinking outside the box, maybe they should go all the way with it. Build two stadiums. The 80,000 variety in Niagara Falls, which would house the opening and closing ceremonies, the soccer games, and maybe some of the major track and field events like the 100 meter dash that has huge economic draw. Build a 50,000 stadium in downtown Toronto to house most of the other stadium events. The idea, of course, being that the Bills would then become tenants of the Olympic stadium once the 2024 games were over, and have a large Torontonian and Canadian draw. The NFL and Bills and public could also help fund the stadium, which would be able to get a fabulous new stadium for half the cost because the Olympics would pay for half. The smaller stadium in Toronto could become the new Argonauts and maybe Blue Jays field.
BuffaloRebound Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 That Peace Bridge analogy is perfect, they've been rebuilding it for 20 years. Besides WNY would get ping pong, badminton, trampoline, skeet shooting.... Toronto would get both cermonies, swimming, gymnastics, track, basketball, soccer etc. Who cares? Buffalo would never be on the radar to host an Olympics by itself. Regardless, there's so many good events in the Summer Olympics that Buffalo would host something cool.
KRT88 Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 seriously, this might be the only way Buffalo ever gets a New Peace Bridge built and furthermore, perhaps even a new stadium for the Bills. I seriously doubt a bid will ever happens because it's Buffalo and they can't decide anything.
sweatpantsjoe Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 It would be a logistical nightmare if they put the same events in both cities. However, if they split the events, evenly keeping travel back and forth over the border to a minimum it could work.
Punch Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) That Peace Bridge analogy is perfect, they've been rebuilding it for 20 years. Besides WNY would get ping pong, badminton, trampoline, skeet shooting.... Toronto would get both cermonies, swimming, gymnastics, track, basketball, soccer etc. That would be my expectation/fear as well in regards to getting shortshrift on events--- but as for the ceremonies, I think the logical solution would be to have one city host the opening ceremony and the other host the closing ceremony. Or, have the opening/closing ceremonies in both cities. seriously, this might be the only way Buffalo ever gets a New Peace Bridge built and furthermore, perhaps even a new stadium for the Bills. I seriously doubt a bid will ever happens because it's Buffalo and they can't decide anything. I don't see this getting much further beyond the spitballing phase, but I kind of like the sound of The Olympic Bridge. Edited August 9, 2012 by Punch
DJasper Probincrux III Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 Does this mean I'll have to stop hating Toronto if this comes to pass? God I can already imagine the political wrangling between the city, Erie County, Niagara County, NYS, and all of the assorted agencies and authorities who would want a piece of this. Getting transportation infrastructure built and a stadium would be the ONLY plusses of this.
It's in My Blood Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 Um, They're already gonna have the passports . . . Infrastructure is build in every city that hosts the Olympics. See Every Single Olympics. We can build a bigger bridge in anticipation of the Olympics. Its really not that difficult. Lets figure out a way to keep the Bills in Buffalo before we talk about bridges and infrastructure and blah blah blah....
silvermike Posted August 9, 2012 Posted August 9, 2012 I think the best chance of this happening would be Buffalo joining a Toronto bid in distinctly the little brother role. We'd be there mostly to add some novelty to the bid, and moderately share in the costs. We'd get very few medal events, but they'd fairly easily be able to split up soccer, and any other team sport that generally have to travel from location to location anyway, since there are so many games during the round-robin. Plus side: we could get a bridge and a stadium out of it, both projects that were needed anyway. Some extra tourists, some interest before and after. Toronto can bear the bigtime costs. It's something.
simpleman Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 It could work, but it could not be auto based. It would require an upgrade in the passenger rail line and the temporary allocation of a high speed passenger train(s). Also high speed hydrofoil service between the two cities would not require much cost in facilities, just a tempory allocation of a few hydrofoils to the area. Forget spending money on things like roads and bridges for this. Mass transit is the solution, a stop in Buffalo to connect to the existing subway system and non stop high speed rail to connect to the Toronto system. It could work fanatastically, but the problem is could the politicians we have put their self interest and egos aside to work together? Very questionable. As someone said this is the WORLD Olympics, so passports are a non issue. Two passenger transfer stations would have to be built, one on either side if it is a combined rail / port facility) . And we would be left with a great passenger rail connection between Toronto and Buffalo after the Olympics, which could be great for the region. If the rail went through the Falls area, it could be great for the future if someone built a station there after the Olympics were over. Afterwards, the line could still be high speed, even if the more expensive and super fast trains were no longer here.
zow2 Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 Maybe Buffalo would get one event but this would be Toronto's Olympics and maybe Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake, etc.. No one is getting excited or coming to Buffalo for Olympics...it's a pipe dream to say the least.
LabattBlue Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 Toronto has tried multiple times to get the Olympics and failed. Adding Buffalo to it's next proposal isn't going to help their efforts. The political hacks in WNY would only hinder any efforts. I am not sure if a city that doesn't make the Olympic cut gets any constructive criticism afterwards in terms of what they need to do next time around, but I am 100% sure in Toronto's case, that the suggestion was NOT "you need to bring Buffalo into the equation next time around".
bbb Posted August 10, 2012 Posted August 10, 2012 Wasn't WNY going to get some events as part of the 2008 bid? It was either that or some of the World University Games events might have been held in Canada.................I know this is not the first time something like this has come up.
Tcali Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 we could borrow londons smoke stacks for the opening ceremonies
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 11, 2012 Posted August 11, 2012 Yeah... This will work great... Just look at the mess between that tight rope guy who walked Niagara Falls. Let Niagara Falls, NY handle the finances... LoL...
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