Toronto bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics

Bids for the
2008 (2008) Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Overview
Games of the XXIX Olympiad
XIII Paralympic Games
Beijing
Toronto · Paris · Istanbul · Osaka
Details
City Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NOC Canadian Olympic Committee (COC)
Previous Games hosted
None
Previously bid for 1996 Summer Olympics
Decision
Result Runner-up (22 votes)

Toronto 2008 was one of the five short-listed bids for the 2008 Games, presented by the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Toronto received permission to represent Canada from the Canadian Olympic Association (chosen over Vancouver). On January 16, 2000, the bid committee received a financial support guarantee from the province of Ontario, and it was sent to the IOC along with the bid book.[1]

Toronto's bid was led by a Toronto citizen John Bitove, a businessman and founder of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The bid focused the Olympic events on a compact area along the city's Lake Ontario waterfront. The Olympic village would have been built on reclaimed industrial areas, and the city's plans called for construction of a new rapid transit network connecting the venues.[2]

The evaluation committee spoke highly of Toronto's bid. In particular, they noted the city's financial plan, the concentration of athletes into a central Olympic area, and existing transportation infrastructure as positives. The Evaluation Report stated that

the compact sports concept based on a unique site adjacent to the city centre with good transport links and a legacy to sport make the bid very attractive. The major challenge is the capacity of the combined private sector and government alliance to deliver the waterfront sports venues and Village developments (...) However, the Commission is confident that this could be achieved and that Toronto would stage an excellent Games.[3]

By June 2001, Toronto and Beijing were in close competition for selection as the host city. That month, the mayor of Toronto, Mel Lastman, made a derogatory remark about the city of Mombasa, Kenya, just before a trip to that country to lobby IOC officials. The comment provoked controversy around the world, and particular concern among African delegates to the IOC. Press reports suggested that the comments may have influenced the decision of the IOC.[4]

It was the second time that Toronto had lost a bid to host a Summer Olympics, as they bid for the 1996 Games, but lost to Atlanta. It may well have been a gain for Vancouver, as they were then bidding to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, which they eventually won.

Bid details

The proposed venues concept comprised:[5]

Competition venues

Venue Location Olympic sport(s) Paralympic sport(s)
Olympic Waterfront Cluster
Air Canada Centre Toronto basketball wheelchair basketball
Ashbridge's Bay Beach Toronto beach volleyball
Toronto Downtown Toronto cycling (road race, individual time trial) cycling (road race, individual time trial
Exhibition Place Aquatic Centre Toronto aquatics (waterpolo), modern pentathlon
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto fencing, judo fencing
Molson Canadian Amphitheatre Toronto weightlifting powerlifting
National Tennis Centre Toronto tennis tennis
National Trade Centre Toronto badminton, gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic, trampoline),
table tennis, taekwondo, modern penthathlon
boccia, judo, rugby, table tennis
Olympic Aquatic Centre Toronto aquatics (diving, synchronized swimming, swimming) aquatics (swimming)
Olympic Archery Centre Toronto archery archery
Olympic Modern Pentathlon Equestrian Centre Toronto modern pentathlon equestrian
Olympic Sailing Marina Toronto sailing sailing
Olympic Shooting Centre Toronto shooting (rifle, pistol) shooting
Olympic Stadium Toronto athletics, football (final) athletics
Olympic Velodrome and Multisport Centre Toronto cycling (track, road race, individual time trial),
wrestling

cycling (track, individual time trial)

Richmond Green Richmond Hill baseball
SkyDome Toronto baseball, softball
Ricoh Coliseum Toronto handball volleyball (standing)
Toronto Olympic Regatta Centre Toronto canoe (sprint, slalom), rowing
World Cup Triathlon Course Toronto triathlon
York Stadium Toronto basketball (intellectual disability), goalball,
volleyball (sitting)
Other venues
Brampton Centre for Sports and Entertainment Brampton basketball
Copps Coliseum Hamilton boxing
Durham College Oshawa softball
Frank Clair Stadium Ottawa football (group matches)
Hardwood Hills Oro-Medonte cycling (mountain bike)
Hershey Centre Mississauga volleyball (indoor) wheelchair basketball, volleyball (standing)
Ivor Wynne Stadium Hamilton football (group matches)
Caledon Equestrian Park Palgrave, Ontario equestrian
Oshawa Skeet and Gun Club Oshawa shooting (trap and skeet)
Vaughan Grove Sports Park Vaughan football (group matches)

References

  1. Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid, GamesBids.com, retrieved 2014-07-27
  2. "Plan for Toronto's 2008 bid unveiled". London: Associated Press. 1999-11-10. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  3. "Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 2008" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. 2001-04-03. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  4. Michaelis, Vicki (2001-07-13). "IOC puts its hopes in Beijing". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  5. Toronto 2008 Proposed Event Venues, GamesBids.com, retrieved 2014-07-27
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