Would you support Toronto ever hosting the Olympics?

Never. Giant waste of money.

Yes but no. The bids that win the Olympics are the worst bids for the city. Promises to spend insane money on unneeded infrastructure, bribes, etc.

A sensible bid with renovations for existing infrastructure, increasing rail and transit, etc would never win.

So yes to hosting but no to the bidding process.

Has been a big nope from me for sometime.

The way the IOC has ploughed ahead with Tokyo despite local opposition due to the pandemic has further confirmed that I never want that organization to have any power over my city.

There's a really good piece on CFR about the economics of hosting the Olympics here.

Personally, I'm against it for many reasons, particularly because of the cost that is incurred to be part of the bid process and how most projects related to building Olympic infrastructure often fall victim to cost overruns.

Every Olympics since 1960 has run over budget, at an average of 172 percent in inflation-adjusted terms, according to an analysis by researchers at Oxford University.

Some examples:

Tokyo initially said it would spend $7.3 billion, but a 2019 government audit put the actual spending at around $28 billion.

For the 2016 Summer Games, Rio de Janeiro budgeted $14 billion and spent an estimated $20 billion, according to data collected by the Council of Foreign Relations.

Sochi, Russia, budgeted $10.3 billion for the 2014 Winter Olympics and spent more than $51 billion. And London, the summer host in 2012, aimed for $5 billion and spent $18 billion.

Another study, published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, examined how rosy projections of the Games’ economic impact — usually commissioned by organizations with an interest in their city’s hosting the spectacle — stacked up to reality. It concluded that actual effects “are either near-zero or a fraction of that predicted prior to the event.”

My opposition to it is also based on the simple fact that we have bigger issues to fix, such as homelessness. I'd rather see us spend the money on building better supports for those who are in need of housing, than waste money on an Olympics bid.

(Edit: Grammar.)

We need better rail and transportation infrastructure. And housing.

Nope nope nope nope. Almost city that hosts the Olympics ends up worse off for it. At worst, there are human rights abuses like in Rio leading up to 2016, and at best there’s Vancouver which essentially broke even, and they already had basically all of the required infrastructure. Unless the new stadium is being paid for by Rogers for the Blue Jays to eventually move into, it’s a no go.

Nope.

Why don't we ask some Montrealers if they would recommend it?

Too expensive at this point. 2008 was our last chance and that ship has sailed.

Nah, I'd rather have the giant rubber duck every summer for the next 20 years instead.

We have far more important issues that need to be dealt with monetarily. Olympics are a big waste and not worth the headache. Not interested in having them here at all.

As much as I like the Olympics, I think Toronto is ill-suited for it. I find the intent of hosting the Olympics is to drive foreign tourism, immediately, and long term. I don't think Toronto has enough landmarks and interest points to drive foreign tourism to make it worthwhile.

I’d prefer that never happens. It’s horrifically expensive. The city gets trashed. All these venues get built, used for a couple weeks and then fall into disrepair. We don’t need any of that. The very very temporary boost one gets in tourism doesn’t begin to approach the economic damage that comes from the Olympics. They exist solely to make money for the IOC.

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Only if they bring back Speed/Race Walking

No.

Maybe if the bargaining position with the IOC is tilted in Toronto's favour (eg. they can't find many other cities to host it, which may be the situation they find themselves in).

I believe Toronto could run the Olympics like Sydney, London and Vancouver, by breaking even. Those cities have at least proven that it's possible.

Toronto does deserve to be on the world stage before it becomes too dense/expensive and it deserves the infrastructure investments that would come from the provincial and federal governments.

Toronto will be fine without hosting an Olympics but, if done right, we could be even better after hosting one.

It's a no from me.

If it was 1976....absolutely. Now a days, and into the future....not a chance.

$2.5 billion was spent on the Pan Am Games in 2015. What long-term benefits did we get? Did we even get one new venue, or new infrastructure project? We got the Canary District, whose buildings were later sold as private condos. I guess all we got for it was Corktown Common. A nice place, but not worth $2.5 billion.

Staggering waste of money that would be better spent almost any other way.

no

Fuck no.

No

No

OP just here to say I don't know why you're being downvoted for a discussion, I dunno if people just hate these kinds of posts or took your title to be a strong opinion or what

Nope. Total waste of money.

Fuck no. Forget all the financial reasons - the only reason you need is the IOC's corruption. Don't want that shit anywhere near the city.

please no

I remember when Toronto actually put up a serious bid to host the 2008 Olympics. That would've been an ideal time overall, especially in terms of forcing the development the city's infrastructure and using the land as it was back then. I don't really see it now given how the city has developed - for instance, I really can't see where a massive athletics stadium can be built in the hear of the city now.

Hell no, we are already wasting a crap tone of money on worthless things like changing Dundas streets name. We don't need more money wasted on more worthless things like this. Let's put money and effort into what really matters like investing in affordable housing, infrastructure, government programs etc...

Yes, the pan am games were a ton of fun.

It would be a great opportunity to expand a bunch of local venues, like BMO, the Aviva Centre, even Ontario Place. And it could force the city to actually do something about the homeless to avoid an international black eye.

They would have to build a ton of housing for the athletes that could be turned into apartments after the games and significantly reduce the wait list time for affordable housing.

Toronto is too NIMBY to make it happen though. Yes, it would cost a lot of money, but why not solve two problems at once?

If Toronto really wanted the Olympics it could win it by default at this point. It's become such a money pit that cities don't want it anymore.

2010 was amazing, so sure. But 2048 would be 28 years away and I'd be pushing 60, and at that point I think I'll be a curmudgeonly old man who'd rather have his peace and quiet

Olympics is a money loosing event. The possible non-financial benefits are tourism and reputation as an international city. Toronto as an international city is already well know around the world. Therefore effect of raised tourism will likely be short term, for a bit longer than the game itself. So is it worth Toronto's effort to host a game for that two to three weeks of increased tourism ?

Just adding to the nope reply count. Why? Because no, we have zero to gain.

If we must host a world class sporting event with historical facist undertones and a penchant for corruption, I'd go for Formula One or FIFA World Cup over the Olympics any day

Let’s see what happens after we host the World Cup in a few years.

Absolutely not. It's a complete waste of money

No. waste of money

Years ago I would have said yes. Good for the economy, world stage, legacy of amazing facilities. But the more I hear of and see the disparities in our country, the less inclined I am to be drawn in by bread and circuses.

Nope that time has passed.

As long as its 100% privately funded and any infrastructure upgrades required (roadways, housing etc) are paid for with private money. Go nuts.

Otherwise, lets pass. I remember the bid for 2008, and was glad we lost. Just think of the money that was lost that had to be put in for the bid by the various levels of government. The selection committee had to be put up in hotels and fed etc as part of the bid process. It just stunk of kick-backs in my mind

Yes! That would be amazing.

Lmao lots of NIMBYs in here

Where would we host the downhill events?

Not until we bring back the Pankration and prizefighting.

Let's see how the FIFA World Cup goes first before looking into Olympics.

No the olympics is a scam.

Other than the provision of thousands of units of affordable housing, not a fucking chance.

This city was so inaccessible for the para athlete’s of the 2015 Parapan games, that many couldn’t even venture outside of the designated areas to explore Toronto. Even in these areas, it was rough.

Even disabled volunteers from other countries, were shocked at just how bad it is in Toronto for accessibility, in comparison to many other countries..

If it can be done economically like Vancouver? For sure

I think Toronto and Hamilton should put in a joint bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The first was in 1930 in Hamilton (then called the Empire Games).

Olympics is a big waste of government dollars and personal effort. It's boring as hell, and a tragic waste personal time on behalf of the athlete. Thousands of hours that could be put towards some meaningful endeavor instead spent on utterly useless competition.

Absolutely not. IOC is corrupt, highly transphobic. Olympics are bad for host cities. The city already treats the unhoused very poorly…would hate to see if the Games were to come here and see unhoused persons forced out of the city altogether.