The University of Washington announced today that they are ceasing the men's and women's swimming programs effective immediately. Costs of the programs as well as lack of adaquate facilities are the blame.
Since Seattle and Vancouver are in talks about the possibility of bidding on co-hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics, this could be a good chance to build a top-notch facility in the UW area. The University of Washington, Seattle U, and Seattle Pacific University, among numerous other schools and colleges would be able to use the aquatics center. Not only would it be able to host UW swimming and diving events, but also swimming and diving for the Olympics games and regional, national, and international competitions. It could be an economic incentive as well as provide a facility in the event Seattle lands the Olympics.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Olympic Facilities
I have gathered a few facilities that could play host to events:
UW- BOA Arena - 10,000 seats
UW- Husky Stadium - 72,500 seats
UW- Softball - 1,000 seats
UW- Soccer - 3,000 seats
UW- Pool- 1,000 seats
King County Aquatics Center - 2,500 seats
Key Arena - 17,072
Safeco Field- 47,000
Qwest Field- 60,0oo+ seats
Everett Events Center- 8,250
Kent Event Center- 6,100-7,800 seats
Tacoma Dome- 23,000 seats
Cheney Stadium - 10,000 seats
Everett Memorial Stadium - 5,000 seats?
I was trying to figure out where events could be, and the following facilities would be needed: Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Biking, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming.
A temporary beach volleyball facility could be built on one of the beaches in the area. Push comes to shove, have it at Ocean Shores, WA on a real beach. Tennis could possibly be held in one of the smaller arenas (Kent, Everett, Tacoma). Biking and Cycling would be outdoors obviously so creating paths and trails would be needed for that. Shooting facilities could be a good opportunity for a private investor if the numbers work right. A new swimming facility might be needed as the KCAC doesn't have the necessary amount of seats to host visitors and media.
UW- BOA Arena - 10,000 seats
UW- Husky Stadium - 72,500 seats
UW- Softball - 1,000 seats
UW- Soccer - 3,000 seats
UW- Pool- 1,000 seats
King County Aquatics Center - 2,500 seats
Key Arena - 17,072
Safeco Field- 47,000
Qwest Field- 60,0oo+ seats
Everett Events Center- 8,250
Kent Event Center- 6,100-7,800 seats
Tacoma Dome- 23,000 seats
Cheney Stadium - 10,000 seats
Everett Memorial Stadium - 5,000 seats?
I was trying to figure out where events could be, and the following facilities would be needed: Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Biking, Cycling, Shooting, Swimming.
A temporary beach volleyball facility could be built on one of the beaches in the area. Push comes to shove, have it at Ocean Shores, WA on a real beach. Tennis could possibly be held in one of the smaller arenas (Kent, Everett, Tacoma). Biking and Cycling would be outdoors obviously so creating paths and trails would be needed for that. Shooting facilities could be a good opportunity for a private investor if the numbers work right. A new swimming facility might be needed as the KCAC doesn't have the necessary amount of seats to host visitors and media.
Economic Impacts
For the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, they racked up over $1 billion in Olympic Sponsorships globally. The economic impacts are over $1 billion. Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics and a report says between 1991-1997 Atlanta had an economic impact of $1.3 billion because of the games, and 72% of that was 18 days prior, during and 18 days after the Olympics. A number like that could definitely be wonders for our local economy. Beijing had 500,000 4 and 5 star hotel room available for the Olympics and proved to be enough. I dont know how many hotel rooms are currently in the Seattle area, but its a bit short I'll guess. If Seattle was to host the 2028 Olympics, more hotels would be built before then and the economic impact could be over $2.0 billion after inflation. Sounds like a great tourism and state budget opportunity here.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Some links to check out
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ro-beijinglegacy082408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=8ec0d438-0f91-496e-bfc3-d43ee389f80c&k=92737
http://www.ubyssey.ca/?p=1601
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics
http://www.crosscut.com/washington/17101/The+Olympics,+Seattle-style/
http://www.themanitoban.com/2006-2007/1025/106.Vancouver.considers.bid.for.2028.olympics.php
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=8ec0d438-0f91-496e-bfc3-d43ee389f80c&k=92737
http://www.ubyssey.ca/?p=1601
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics
http://www.crosscut.com/washington/17101/The+Olympics,+Seattle-style/
http://www.themanitoban.com/2006-2007/1025/106.Vancouver.considers.bid.for.2028.olympics.php
Can Seattle and Vancouver Hold Olympics Event?
The International Olympic Committee has never chosen two or more cities to host a single Olympics games. With rising costs of hosting such an International phenomenon, the seriousness of doing such a thing should strongly be considered. Athens is a great example of what happens when a city hosts an Olympics that is small. It is a huge burden on the region and stuck paying off losing billions of dollars. On the other hand, Beijing looks to be an excellent example of a large city hosting the games successfully.
Vancouver is set to host the 2010 Winter Olympics in a mere 18 months. The infrastructure is being finished up and afterward will be a huge addition for the region to use. Seattle is working on building and upgrading its infrastructure with the Light Rail line from Downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport finishing by the end of 2009, while a Stage 2 Proposal is set to appear on the November 2008 Election to expand it north to Lynnwood, and South to Federal Way. Should this pass in the election, it would be finished in 2023, 15 years from now. There is no saying another proposal comes up in the next 10 years afterwards to build onto that.
The big costly part of the Olympics is the facilities. You need many venues to host events. The good part of the joint bid would be to split the costs of building the facilities. There were 31 facilities for the Beijing Olympics. Some of these were temporarily built for the games (8). A few of these were dirt tracks for motor bikes, beach volleyball, and baseball fields.
The good thing is Vancouver and Seattle already have a few facilities built. Seattle is working on an arena renovation in Seattle Center. Vancouver already has the GM Place. Seattle has the UW Bank of America Arena. King County has an Aquadics Center that was built for the 1990 Goodwill Games and holds competitions throughout the year. A new facility would need to be built for the swimming competitions, but this one could hold the diving ones.
Baseball fields and stadiums are all over the region so those shouldn't need to be built should baseball return to the Olympics. Softball fields could use these fields, including college stadiums at UW.
The University of Washington is trying to get funding for a new football stadium. How about building a new big stadium for the opening and closing celebrations, track and field, and other events that would be used by the UW before and after the Olympics. Vancouver has the UBC Facilities that could be used, as well as an Olympic Village that will already be there from the 2010 Olympics. An Olympic Village in Seattle at the UW could be built and later turned into dormatories once the games are over. Olympic Committees help pay for buildings and accommodations so that could help save some costs.
So now, anybody want to join this bid?
Vancouver is set to host the 2010 Winter Olympics in a mere 18 months. The infrastructure is being finished up and afterward will be a huge addition for the region to use. Seattle is working on building and upgrading its infrastructure with the Light Rail line from Downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport finishing by the end of 2009, while a Stage 2 Proposal is set to appear on the November 2008 Election to expand it north to Lynnwood, and South to Federal Way. Should this pass in the election, it would be finished in 2023, 15 years from now. There is no saying another proposal comes up in the next 10 years afterwards to build onto that.
The big costly part of the Olympics is the facilities. You need many venues to host events. The good part of the joint bid would be to split the costs of building the facilities. There were 31 facilities for the Beijing Olympics. Some of these were temporarily built for the games (8). A few of these were dirt tracks for motor bikes, beach volleyball, and baseball fields.
The good thing is Vancouver and Seattle already have a few facilities built. Seattle is working on an arena renovation in Seattle Center. Vancouver already has the GM Place. Seattle has the UW Bank of America Arena. King County has an Aquadics Center that was built for the 1990 Goodwill Games and holds competitions throughout the year. A new facility would need to be built for the swimming competitions, but this one could hold the diving ones.
Baseball fields and stadiums are all over the region so those shouldn't need to be built should baseball return to the Olympics. Softball fields could use these fields, including college stadiums at UW.
The University of Washington is trying to get funding for a new football stadium. How about building a new big stadium for the opening and closing celebrations, track and field, and other events that would be used by the UW before and after the Olympics. Vancouver has the UBC Facilities that could be used, as well as an Olympic Village that will already be there from the 2010 Olympics. An Olympic Village in Seattle at the UW could be built and later turned into dormatories once the games are over. Olympic Committees help pay for buildings and accommodations so that could help save some costs.
So now, anybody want to join this bid?
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