Unlike the Vancouver Canucks, the G-men don’t have a C-controversy in the year of the X.
Dandy Don Hay’s burgundy-and-black boys are back at the Rink on Renfrew September 24 to begin the Vancouver Giants’ 10th season while the Canucks celebrate number 40 at Rogers Arena. Some of Hay’s younger players were learning to skate a decade ago and some have parents who weren’t born when the Canucks debuted in 1970.
Hard to believe that it’s been a decade since principal owner Ron Toigo took the calculated risk when he parlayed the Tri-City Americans into an expansion franchise in the biggest junior hockey market west of Toronto.
He knew the Canucks priced themselves out of the market when they moved downtown in 1995 and left a viable arena with historic significance. What better place to showcase the stars of tomorrow in nationally telecast events such as the Home Hardware Top Prospects Game, World Junior Championship or the 2007 Memorial Cup, won at home by the Giants.
To add razzle-dazzle and celebrity cachet, Toigo compiled an all-star ownership roster, featuring Pat Quinn, Gordie Howe and, more recently, Michael Buble.
Toigo wisely used the franchise as a marketing vehicle for Shato Holdings’ White Spot restaurants, sponsor of the $95 (HST included) package of four tickets, two Legendary burger platters, two Pirate Paks, free parking and $10 of Chevron gasoline for weekend regular season home games.
A winning product where value-added is the norm. Happy 10th birthday, Vancouver Giants.
Smart move by the Canucks to open a Team Store Outlet at the northwest corner of Hastings and Renfrew. The blue, green and white are, at least commercially, close to their crib. East Vancouver was where the Aquilini family also got its start in business. The Canucks’ first foray into retail also began at the Pacific Coliseum. Then-vice-president of marketing Glen Ringdal and merchandising director Larry Donen launched the Winning Spirit chain of Canucks’ souvenir stores in the early 1990s at the Coliseum.
The first VANOC executive to get a plum International Olympic Committee (IOC)assignment since the Vancouver Games was not John Furlong or Dave Cobb, but John McLaughlin.
The chief financial officer is presiding over the cleanup of arguably the most financially troubled Olympic Games in the post-Los Angeles 1984 commercial era. He was appointed financial adviser September 13 for the 2018 Winter Games evaluation commission.
Between February 8 and March 5, 2011, the seven members and four advisers will inspect bid cities PyeongChang, South Korea; Munich, Germany; and Annecy, France. Their report will be the foundation for the host city vote on July 6, 2011, at the IOC’s 122nd session in Durban, South Africa.
One of the riskiest venue deals VANOC made appears to have paid off.
VANOC paid forward its compensation to Boyne Resorts, the low-key, Michigan-headquartered parent of Cypress Mountain. John Kircher, president of western operations, said from Crystal Mountain, Washington, that January and February’s El Nińo-influenced warm and wet weather “swung the make-whole downward … in favour of VANOC.” Without the Games, there might not have been any skiers or snowboarders at the West Vancouver day resort early this year.
“VANOC prepaid the make-whole amounts,” Kircher said. “Due to the make-whole agreements, we paid a substantial sum of that back.”
VANOC budgeted $17,455 million for Cypress. Boyne spent $14.5 million on the new Cypress day lodge. Kircher expects VANOC contractor North Construction to finish site remediation before month-end, but the halfpipe where redheaded superstar Shaun White won snowboarding gold has been demolished.
“That wasn’t sustainable in front of the main lodge, so there were discussions about moving the halfpipe, but you’re talking about a huge expense to do that,” Kircher said. “Both parties agreed it was probably best to remove it. It was the right decision.”
How much did Whistler Blackcomb get for hosting Olympic sledding and Olympic and Paralympic alpine skiing? The New York Post reported $50 million in January. President David Brownlie referred questions to VANOC.