Edmonton bid for 2017 or 2020 World's Fair

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by Xelebes

I said what I meant.

So did I.

[Edmonchuck]

love the positive energy here...

[Great Dane]

This is great news.

Edmonton is rounding that corner ever so slightly. Hopefully the bid is strong and makes it to the international level.

Now we just need to close the Muni.

[Edmonchuck]

the bid IS strong...

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton to proceed with Expo 2017 bid
Gordon Kent, edmontonjournal.com
Published: 1:16 pm
EDMONTON - Edmonton will make a pitch to hold Expo 2017 after councillors unanimously agreed today to kick in half the $4.5 million needed to prepare a bid to become Canada's nominee for the event.
"As a city we can't be stagnant, we have to grow, we have to move ahead, even in hard times," Coun. Karen Leibovici said.
"There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel."

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The rest of the bid money for this phase is being requested from the provincial government, which Mayor Stephen Mandel said supports Edmonton's plans.
The world's fair, which would mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation, has an estimated $2.3-billion cost and is expected to attract 4.7 million visitors, according to a conceptual report.
It would feature pavilions from other countries, non-governmental agencies and companies, along with arts and cultural displays, on a site of up to 25 hectares.
City manager Al Maurer said the big benefit to Edmonton would be the construction of LRT, housing and other infrastructure years ahead of schedule and funded primarily by the two other levels of government.
The deadline for putting in a bid to be Canada's nominee for the project is fall 2009, with a decision likely to be made in time for the winning city to be represented in the Canadian pavilion at the 2010 Expo in Shanghai.
The total cost of a bid all the way to the international level is estimated at $22.5 million. Mandel told councillors who are unsure about the project that they can't later pull the plug if Edmonton's pitch is successful.
gkent@thejournal.canwest.com
---
What are your thoughts on the Expo 2017 bid? Have you say in our Sound Off!


© Edmonton Journal 2008
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...0-4ec29cf4064e

[0773|=\]

The sound-off comments from the link are so typical.

I have to resist the temptation of thinking that I can convert those people one-by-one...

[Shodan]

Council approves $2.3M for Expo bid
Detailed research requires province to match cash

Gordon Kent, with files from Archie McLean
The Edmonton Journal

Thursday, October 30, 2008

EDMONTON - Edmonton will try to secure Expo 2017 after city council unanimously agreed Wednesday to spend $2.3 million on a bid to become Canada's nominee for the world's fair.

While some councillors expressed concern at the cost and the project's potential impact on Edmonton's long-term plans, Mayor Stephen Mandel cautioned that if the bid succeeds, the city can't back out.

"Once we commit to this, let's not fool ourselves, we will be committed to go on to the next step."

The money, which must still be matched by the province, will pay for detailed research and a national bid against such potential rivals as Montreal, Ottawa and Hamilton, although Mandel said none of the other centres has done as much work as Edmonton.

The fair, being held during the 150th anniversary of Confederation, has an estimated $1.6-billion to $2.3-billion cost, and is expected to attract 4.7 million visitors, a report says.

It would feature pavilions from other countries, non-governmental agencies and companies, along with arts and cultural displays.

"If we continue to be cautious, if we continue to be timid, we can't complain if down the road other cities have surpassed us. I have no doubt in my mind that we can pull it off," Coun. Ben Henderson said.

"The only thing that holds us back is our own over-caution at times. I'm hoping we have the guts to look into the future and make decisions, not on this year or next year, but what the city will look like in 20, 30, 40, 50 years."

City manager Al Maurer said the three-month fair would see LRT, housing and other infrastructure built years ahead of schedule with money supplied primarily by the two senior levels of government.

It would also give Edmonton's profile a huge boost, he said.

Last summer's Expo in Zaragoza, Spain, allowed that city to develop its river valley park system and complete a high-speed train station, among other projects.

Coun. Karen Liebovici teared up as she recalled visiting Expo 67 daily when she was a teenager growing up in Montreal.

"It brought the world to the doorstep of Montreal and to my doorstep. I think it's very important -- I'm actually getting emotional, too," she said.

"Expo is not like Capital Ex. It's a showcase for international knowledge, it's a showcase for new inventions and it's a showcase for us in the city."

The deadline for putting in a proposal to be the country's applicant for the project is fall 2009, with a decision likely to be made in time for the winner to be represented in the Canadian pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

The total cost of a bid all the way to the international level is estimated at

$22.5 million, which is intended to be shared by other levels of government and corporate sponsors.

Alberta Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett said he hasn't had in-depth discussions with city officials about the proposal.

"We know their interest and we've expressed some interest in supporting it, but we haven't talked about dollars and cents yet."

gkent@thejournal.canwest.com

EXPO FACTS

- Expo 2017 would be the largest event yet held in Edmonton.

- The city is bidding on the smaller "recognized" category of Expo, which run for up to three months, cover a maximum of 25 hectares and may attract up to 20 million visits; the larger "registered" category can be unlimited in size, last six months and draw up to 70 million people.

- While it would be an estimated $700-million cheaper to stage the event on farmland rather than underused industrial or commercial property, the site must be attractive, have nearby transit and utility services, and be good for housing, park or other uses when the fair ends.

- No decisions have been made about a location, theme or other details.
© The Edmonton Journal 2008

Copyright © 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

http://www.canada.com/components/pri...f5743&sponsor=

[240glt]

Just reviewing the Expo documents on the COE site.. there's still no real firm talk of a venue.

Is it a foregone conclusion that the Muni site is where it would be ?

[Coldrsx]

^i suspect so but i hope not to be honest... but where else would you be able to do such a thing right.... unless... ROSSDALE!

[240glt]

^ ooo. I never even thought of that.

Rossdale would be an awesome venue.

[Coldrsx]

^but limited transit access and NIMBYS and even the venue size required means likely not.... but imagine a new bridge with active parts to it, a converted power plant, and the lower area redeveloped along with a new iconic museum on the bank.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Just reviewing the Expo documents on the COE site.. there's still no real firm talk of a venue.

Is it a foregone conclusion that the Muni site is where it would be ?

Just because I was thinking that a link would be handy...

http://www.edmonton.ca/city_governme...nton-expo.aspx

[Edmonchuck]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Just reviewing the Expo documents on the COE site.. there's still no real firm talk of a venue.

Is it a foregone conclusion that the Muni site is where it would be ?

No, there are 3 firm site alternatives, and about 5 not so firm ones.

The Muni is but one, and in reality, not the forerunner at this time of pontification and dreaming.

[Coldrsx]

Stelly just said this is NOT a priority for funding...

[Edmonchuck]

Yup, and I think he is playing politics. Announcing this with the media hyping up a crisis probably does not mean good news for him. OR, there is still a bit of a pissing match between the province and the city, and this is a good embarrassment.

[SHOFEAR]

Will my Rossdale dream come true?

[Edmonchuck]

I think people need to take Ed's comment in stride.


The question from the reporter:



The city wants not only $2 million, but will ask the province to be guarantor which may cost a couple billion,. Are you prepared to do that?



“Not at this time. We made a commitment to Universiade. Anything further from here has to be further reviewed. Today I can tell you our priorities are health, education, infrastructure and we have to be careful making further commitments down the road.



“If there are improvements in our economy generally across Canada and some predictability in the markets, then that’s fine. But we’ve made significant commitments over the last number of months. Commitment to seniors, commitment to crime, and those are our priorities for the government.”

So, what he said is that there is no firm commitment to the BILLION, not the 2.25 million...

[Kevin_foster]

Will my giant Swiss Chalet dream finally come true?

I can see it now.

Swiss Chalet(tm) Tower of Champions!! It would look much like the Calgary tower, but instead of a typical roundhouse on top, it would be a chicken body.

[Shodan]

As some kind of "Expo legacy," I think High Level Bridge should have a restaurant right in the middle of it, just like the Esplanade Riel Bridge in Winterpeg...


photoanswers.co.uk

Maybe it could be a Timmy's?

But seriously, folks.....

Ed cool to Expo cash
Edmonton bid for world's fair not a priority of province, says premier

By FRANK LANDRY, CITY HALL BUREAU - October 31, 2008

Premier Ed Stelmach says bringing Expo 2017 to Edmonton isn't a priority of his, nor is sinking wads of money into a bid at a time when the national economy is sluggish.

"We made a commitment to Universiade. Anything further from here has to be thoroughly reviewed," Stelmach told reporters yesterday.

The premier was referring to the 2015 Summer World University Games, an event Edmonton is vying for and the province supports.

"Today I can tell you our priorities are health, education, infrastructure, and we have to be very careful in making commitments further down the road," Stelmach cautioned.

He said that may change if there are improvements in the economy and "some predictability in the markets."

Edmonton needs an immediate $2.25-million injection from the province before it can move to the next stage of the Expo bid process, which involves developing a detailed business plan.


City council voted this week to pony up a matching contribution.

However, hundreds of millions of dollars - if not more - will be needed from the Alberta government over time to stage an event that could come with an estimated price tag of up to $3 billion.

Some of that is also expected to be covered by the federal government and corporate sponsors.

The four-year bid process alone is estimated to cost $22.5 million, according to city number crunchers.

Mayor Stephen Mandel said he hasn't been told no by Stelmach.

"We have every indication that the province will be supportive of our bid and we'll hear what they say," he said.

"We would expect some support but if they decide not to then we'd obviously not be able to go ahead with the bid because it's not feasible to do it without provincial support."

Coun. Karen Leibovici, whose council portfolio includes getting Expo, said the city hasn't even had a chance yet to present its latest proposal to provincial officials.

"(Stelmach) needs to see what the full package is and what the actual ask is. We still need to make that formal ask and see how things roll out in the next month or so."

There are two types of expos - registered, which are larger and run six months, and recognized, which are smaller and run three months. Edmonton is seeking to host a recognized expo.

The expo site would require 25 hectares of land. It's unclear where in the city it would be held, but the land the City Centre Airport sits on has not been ruled out.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmo...f-7259851.html

[Shodan]

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

Will my giant Swiss Chalet dream finally come true?

I can see it now.

Swiss Chalet(tm) Tower of Champions!! It would look much like the Calgary tower, but instead of a typical roundhouse on top, it would be a chicken body.

....A roasted half-chicken body....