Hell yeah. As if the Vancouver Olympic Committee didn't know about this. I don't recall a single olympic event that the city hasn't gone over budget.
Sydney is still paying for the debts incurred at the 2000 Millenium game. It'd be stupid to imply that the budget for the 2010 Winter Olympics will not go overboard.
[H2]Vanoc venues budget 'too small'[/H2] [H4]Olympic organizers reject warning by Turin official[/H4]
Vancouver organizers of the 2010 Winter Olympics were warned Friday that $580 million is not enough for venue construction and were urged to ask the provincial and federal governments for more money.
Cesare Vaciago, chief executive officer of the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, stunned the Vancouver Organizing Committee (Vanoc) by describing the 2010 venue construction budget as"risky" and "too small."
The unexpected remarks by Vaciago closed a five-day conference in Vancouver in which Turin officials debriefed the International Olympic Committee and the organizing committees of the next three Olympics including Vancouver, on what they did right and wrong at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Vanoc vigorously rejected the warning. The organizing committee is in the midst of making a controversial request to the federal and provincial governments for an additional $110 million, having admitted that rising labour and construction materials costs had rendered its original $470-million venue budget unrealistic.
Vanoc chief executive John Furlong said Vaciago was wrong to suggest Vancouver's revised construction budget is also inadequate, and he is determined to bring in the projects on time and budget.
"I am satisfied we have enough money to build our venues," Furlong said. "Let's be clear. He was making a simple comment that we have a very small program and that they had a much bigger program. It seems like a lot less money than theirs; it is. But we have a lot less to build than they did."
Vaciago was asked by reporers Friday at a post-conference media briefing to explain why Turin's $1.4 billion construction budget was more than double the budget for Vancouver.
"What I can tell you is that even if Vancouver has many structures (already built), I find that the Vancouver budget is quite limited. It is small. A little bit too small," he said. "$580 million for the construction program seems extremely strict. I hope they do it, but you cannot take one dollar away from that."
He later repeated his comments, saying "it is a risky budget because the expenses may be more." And he said he "wouldn't be surprised" if Vanoc officials need to ask taxpayers for more money. "And if I were them, I would do it," he said.
Before he could say more to reporters, he was whisked away by an IOC official who insisted Vaciago had another meeting.
This is the second time Vaciago has stirred controversy at the conference.
At Monday's opening ceremony, he told Vanoc to "throw away the mag-and-bag" walk-through security scanners he believes are too costly and ineffective in stopping a terrorist attack. He also told Vanoc he had too many poorly-trained volunteers, and suggested they cut their volunteer numbers in half by recruiting students and senior citizens and giving them meaningful responsibilities.
However, he saved his most explosive comments for Friday and the controversial topic of Vanoc's construction budget.
The media conference was organized to explain some of the lessons Toroc was able to teach Vancouver, from planning more test events for venues, to better focussing on the athletes, media and spectators attending the events.
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