SA mulls putting in bid for 2020/2024 Olympics

[dysan1]

Agree with Nomnolence

We cannot keep giving housing and social grants forever. it breeds laziness, breeds the lack fo a desire to be entrupreneurs, and frankly is not done in any of the Asian nations which are being successful... they are investing in education and making people fend for themselves.

Also a random number like R50bn sounds massive, but what does that include? alot of the things they include are transportation and other city improvements which are going to happen in all SA cities anyway. In london and beijing they lump all the spending on their undergrounds as Olympic spending when frankly it is not. numbers can always be manipulated by those for and against something

[Lydon]

But by the same token the Olympic Games aren't necessarily going to give us the bang for our buck we're looking for. I'd be the first to get excited if we bid for and win it, but I'm not kidding myself in saying that that same 50 billion couldn't be better spent on investing in other infrastructure.

[dysan1]

Originally Posted by Lydon

But by the same token the Olympic Games aren't necessarily going to give us the bang for our buck we're looking for. I'd be the first to get excited if we bid for and win it, but I'm not kidding myself in saying that that same 50 billion couldn't be better spent on investing in other infrastructure.

agree. i have never been a 100% fan of what the games can deliver in terms of our current needs. but that said i am also not a believer in constntly investing in non economic building things, or things that do not stimulate people to be better.

That said, with the current things going on in SA there are far more scary things to resolve with government

[romanSA]

Today's headline news in the Daily News is dedicated to SASCOC's plans for SA to bid for the 2024 Olympics. SASCOC and the national govt (Sports Ministry) has confirmed that Durban is the front-runner, although all cities will be asked to express their interest and would have to go through a bidding process. Seems the aim is to get the confirmed candidate as early as possible, and to build the necessary infrastructure to win an international bidding competition over a period of time, making the city a very stronger contender re: international rivals. Seems to me like a very good strategy as costs will be spread over a long period (14 years) vs short-term (7 years), the latter of which, could compromise service delivery. If all goes according to hints, Durban's sporting infrastructure stands to be incrementally boosted in the years ahead. This will put the city in a completely different league vs Jhb and CT, and other African cities.

The article also said that SASCOC and govt are working on sports event-hosting plans / bids until 2030. That's some serious long-term planning, but speaks to SA's long-term ambitions! Love it!

[dysan1]

I didnt take out that they have "chosen" or support Durban. It seems they will totally evaluate all cities for what is their strengths and weaknesses for different sports bids... no decisions made until phase 2 complete next year...

[Lydon]

Originally Posted by romanSA

Today's headline news in the Daily News is dedicated to SASCOC's plans for SA to bid for the 2024 Olympics. SASCOC and the national govt (Sports Ministry) has confirmed that Durban is the front-runner, although all cities will be asked to express their interest and would have to go through a bidding process. Seems the aim is to get the confirmed candidate as early as possible, and to build the necessary infrastructure to win an international bidding competition over a period of time, making the city a very stronger contender re: international rivals. Seems to me like a very good strategy as costs will be spread over a long period (14 years) vs short-term (7 years), the latter of which, could compromise service delivery. If all goes according to hints, Durban's sporting infrastructure stands to be incrementally boosted in the years ahead. This will put the city in a completely different league vs Jhb and CT, and other African cities.

The article also said that SASCOC and govt are working on sports event-hosting plans / bids until 2030. That's some serious long-term planning, but speaks to SA's long-term ambitions! Love it!

So there's been no formal bidding process, they've only just signalled their firm intent to bid for 2024, and they've supposedly chosen a frontrunner already? Sounds legit

[romanSA]

SA game for the Olympics
August 16 2012 at 01:43pm
By Nolene Barbeau


Durban - South Africa is eyeing a fresh bid for the 2024 Olympics in the wake of the Games in London, with Durban a front runner as the host city.

On Wednesday Tubby Reddy, chief executive officer of the SA Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation (Sascoc), said they had already commissioned a feasibility study on a 2024 Olympic bid.

Expected to be done in two to three phases and completed next year, it will determine which city would be best suited to make the bid on behalf of the country.

South Africa was originally in the running for the 2020 Olympics until the government decided to withdraw to focus on social priorities, but it did hint about a 2024 bid.

This feasibility study ties in with the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) conference and exhibition, to be held in Durban next month, where a 17-year plan will be discussed and decided on with the National Sports Tourism Steering committee.

Conference director, Sugen Pillay, said the committee was tasked by Sascoc with developing and implementing a national strategy that would outline the key sports events which Sascoc, and its federations and partners, will be bidding for between 2013 and 2030.

“Almost a year of research and careful planning and preparation is set to come to fruition when the recommendations of the strategy are discussed and adopted at the forthcoming conference,” Pillay said.

He added that the strategy would also look at how South Africa would bid for such events and also look at the capacity of each city.

From Daily News discussions with Sascoc, the national Department of Sports and Recreation, the eThekwini Municipality, the Durban Chamber of Commerce, tourism and sport authorities, Durban emerged as the city of choice should the country submit a bid for the 2024 Olympics.

Durban won the pitch to host the SETE conference at the ICC for the next three years.

Last year the conference was held in Cape Town where the steering committee was established.

Reddy said the first phase of the study would look at the year-to-year plan targeting hosting international events, and the second phase would look specifically at the Olympics.

When asked if Durban would be a shoo-in as host city, Reddy said Durban was the focus city when South Africa had intended to bid for the 2020 Olympics. He also issued a reminder that he was born in Durban.

He also said Sascoc would also focus on infrastructure – what was already in place and what still needed to be done.

Andrew Layman, chief executive officer at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said when there was serious talk about the country making an Olympic bid, there was strong support from the chamber.

“Since the government decided not to bid, things have changed quite considerably.

“The global recession has bitten, government has committed to a huge spend on infrastructure and the national and provincial development plans do not include the Olympics.

“I’m not sure, therefore, what the chamber’s formal position on this would be. I think if the South African government were to revise its position and nominate a city to be the host, we would want it to be Durban which, we believe, would be a very suitable host city,” he said.

He said Durban managed large events very well and its facilities had been well positioned and were of a high standard.

“It remains to be seen what the financial advantages would be,” he said. “There are reports from the UK that the Olympics didn’t draw as many people as a visit to the UK at the same time in other years.

“It is pretty clear, I believe, that the yield comes only from the tourism prospects, either for the Games themselves or, importantly, afterwards once the destination has had good global publicity.”

Layman said staging events of this nature involved expenditure only – the host did not make money from the gate or from sponsorship.

“It has to be seen as an investment in tourism, I think. Without knowing exactly what is required, I think Durban probably has at least the major facilities required, except for an Olympic village.

“I don’t think there is any chance that Durban could make a bid without significant support from the central government. We don’t have the money.”

Looking at costs of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event, Beijing 2008 was R334 billion. According Britain’s Guardian newspaper, which conducted a poll, the British population thought the the games were “well worth” the £9bn (R115bn) pricetag, cheering the nation up as it battled recession.

The projected price tag for the 2016 Games to be hosted in Rio is R100bn.

According to the eThekwini Municipality, the 2010 World Cup cost Durban between R7bn and R8bn. Last year, DA councillor Tex Collins voiced concern over the cost of a bid that failed, saying the city would be seriously out of pocket. He also said the Games would create job opportunities and a financial benefit but said this windfall would be short term. He felt the Olympics would be a great idea but not if Durban ratepayers had to foot the bill.

Municipal spokesman, Thabo Mofokeng, said Durban would be guided by government on whether it would bid. It would also consider feasibility, he said.

It would further require financial support from national government and the province.

Mofokeng was confident Durban would have an edge over other cities because it had “the best facilities that can handle any sporting code and also has skilled people to host the best events in the country”.

Last year Jochen Farber, the director of communications for the German bid for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games, briefed Durban about its bid and said a lesson Durban could benefit from was “don’t build what you won’t use later”.

Former municipal manager, Dr Michael Sutcliffe, told newspapers last year that thought had already been given on where an Olympic village would be built: the old drive-in site in Masabalala Yengwa (NMR) Avenue, which could be used for flats after the Games.

Justin de Allende, special adviser to Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, felt Durban was definitely bid-worthy.

“The first thing one looks at is a stadium and infrastructure costs and Moses Mabhida Stadium has been designed to host international events.”

Durban, he said, had the perfect climate and natural facilities. He explained that should South Africa submit a bid there would first have to be an internal bid process (among the bigger cities) and cabinet would make the final decision.

“Government would have to be on board as it is Brand South Africa that we are promoting. The focus is on 2020 for now so there is still time to decide on 2024. By 2016 we would start looking,” he said.

Lihle Dlamini of the KZN Tourism Authority said the 2010 World Cup put Durban on the map and the city was still basking in the glory.

“We also hosted the International Olympic Committee last year. We’ve proved to the world we can be a good host.”

She also said the tourism industry would benefit as many would be staying in the city for the first time.

Wayne Ridden, a South African swimming team coach at the 2012 Olympics, was also behind Durban, saying it would be just as good as London and Sydney.

“There would be lower costs in comparison to the UK as we already have most of the infrastructure. The Kings Park pool, though, would need to be upgraded. I hope Durban goes for it.” - Daily News

noelene.barbeau@inl.co.za


http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afri...pics-1.1363905

[romanSA]

Gamesbid.com also covered the story...

-------------

Study On South African Olympic Bid

Thursday, August 16, 2012 8:46am EDT GB Staff

Tubby Reddy, Chief Executive Officer of the SA Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation (Sascoc), said a feasibility study on a 2024 Olympic bid has been commissioned.

The study is expected to be done in two to three phases, and be completed next year. It will determine which city would best be suited to be South Africa's candidate.

According to the Independent, the feasibility study ties in with the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange conference and exhibition, to be held in Durban next month, where a 17-year plan will be discussed and decided on with the National Sports Tourism Steering committee.

Conference director Sugen Pillay said the committee was tasked by Sascoc with developing and implementing a national strategy that would outline the key sports events which Sascoc and its federations and partners will be bidding for between 2013 and 2030.

Pillay said the strategy would also look at how South Africa would bid for such events and also look at the capacity of each city.

Through Daily News discussions with Sascoc, the national Department of Sports and Recreation, the eThekwini Municipality, the Durban Chamber of Commerce, tourism and sport authorities, Durban was the city of choice should South Africa submit a 2024 Olympic bid.

Reddy said the first phase of the study would look at the year-to-year plan targeting hosting international events, and the second phase would look specifically at the Olympics.

South Africa was bidding for the 2020 Summer Games until the government decided to withdraw to focus on social priorities, but at the time hinted about a 2024 Games bid.


http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/olympic...216136296.html

[RODDAS]

Considering that Joburg is at altitude and it and Cape Town will be experiencing winter, isn't Durban at a distinct advantage?

[christian17]

In 2024 the city once known as port Natal (now Durban) will celebrite 200 years of existence (1824-2024) ,what better way to celebrate this city than to give it the world's most celebrated show .

SASCOC's clear long term plan to redevelop a city way before even the bids open is a strategic idea and one to certainly favour SA from hungry Europe or USA.Once a venue is complete it can then host a major event eg the New Aquatic centre should host the FINA world champs and MMS should host IAAF world champs.

With regards to Kenya ,I think they would be best suited for the commonwealth games (especially looking at the billions of dollars China is pumping into Nairobi .It just seems a dream for any African nation to over take SA to host the olympics.

Turkey has my vote with regards to the 2020 games...Spain is just being another greedy European country,they could well become another Greece after those games have long gone and Japan well , their excuse is lame and unjustified especially when neighbors China hosted the 2008 and South korea to host the 2018 Winter games ! , they don't need these games to rebuild their country ,they must use the 2019 IRB world cup to do so !.

And to conclude , they is No reason as to why the 2024 games wouldn't be profitable in all sense of the word . WE NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE AS TO HOW THE GAMES WILL BE STAGED. !!!...and so far NO country has done so . It is rubbish when people say that these games would bring no revenue to a host nation , they are not thinking out of the box as to how to create this revenue. !!

[Dale1]

Christian17, I completely agree!

The Olympics would be the greatest thing to ever happen to Durban. I am really glad that the government is taking this seriously. I didnt know that Durban will be 200 years old in 2024. It would be so awesome if we could host it then! Everything is working in Durban's favour. All we need is a serious bid and I honestly cant see the IOC giving it to another city.

It needs to come to Africa - The IOC is just waiting for a bid from Africa and it will only come to South Africa in my opinion.

I also agree that Durban can think out the box and really be clever about the way they do things as to not make a loss.

I also just hope more Durbanites have a positive attitude about this and support the bid!

GO DURBAN 2024!!!

[Econ77]

While I agree that it would be amazing to have an Olympic games hosted in SA, I cannot agree with you that it would be a good idea (much as I would have liked to).
Have a look at the following section from "The Guardian" recently:

"Originally slated to cost about £2.4bn, Olympic costs jumped to £9.3bn by 2007. The National Audit Office noted that public-sector funding has almost tripled, while private-sector contributions dwindled to less than 2%. Recently, the House of Commons' public accounts committee revealed costs were "heading for around £11bn". Meanwhile, Olympics critic Julian Cheyne of Games Monitor calculates costs at £13bn. A Sky Sports investigation included public transport upgrade costs, catapulting the five-ring price tag to £24bn."

I can simply not see how an economy like SA's could ever profit from such tremendous expenditure, apart from in generating Civic Pride, which, as we have seen with the soccer world cup is a all too fleeting.

I.e. Even if we can complete it for under £10bn in public expenditure (Much less than UK), the cost of hosting it would still easily cover the Durban Dug-out Port plus supporting infrastructure.
Alternatively it could cover the rest of MyCiti, Rea Vaya, Durban IPTN, the Gautrain, AND the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, and then some!

Montreal for instance hosted the games in 1976, and only managed to pay off the $2.7 billion debt it created in 2005! Have a look at http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.c...ties-ever-win/

If you guys where to weigh the opportunity costs, do you still think we should get it?

[Nostra]

Exactly, if we put that money in upgrading our cities and putting in things like proper mass transit systems, upgraded sewarage and roads, houses for the poor etc, it would go a very long way. Thus I agree and say that we should rather spend the money on service delivery and economic infrastructure instead of yet more sport facilities....

[christian17]

While i commend your for your thorough yet narrow understanding of what the nation may find rather more important to focus on, do you think that Gauteng would have a world class airport, train and riya vaya system TODAY! , if it wasn't for the world cup? Look carefully at KSIA built in a record time; these projects went into billions of dollars that if i was thinking narrow would have wanted it to build houses, roads or better sanitation systems.

Imagine for a moment (if SA had no world cup to prepare for ), what would have happened if all of a sudden the government said they were going to spend R20 billion in building a train system just to improve transport in gp.The country would have completely erupted and reject that idea but the world cup gave it a sense of calm and on time delivery.

Barcelona, Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Atlanta, Sydney .what do these cities all have in common? , they all hosted the games. These cities are a direct product of those games and Barcelona a prime example, would still be a slump/second city to Madrid if it wasn't for the games it hosted, which it used to rebuild itself completely creating a world class city we all admire today.

Like i said we need to think out of the box and not try to copy/paste what the previous hosts seemed to be good at.

They is no reason why South Africa wouldn't get 1million (direct/indirect) foreign visitors to the games.

All I’m saying is this is Africa, we are different from the rest and we can certainly bring it to those games.

Venues are not the issues; why not build some of the venues at UKZN or DUT so they will be used long after the games are over. AGAIN, we need to be innovative as to how we approach these games. The IOC has been waiting patiently for an African city to come up, yet countries are still sailing around.

These games are what SA needs to speed up change.

[Nostra]

I'm sorry I don't buy that argument. If the problem is slow service delivery, surely the solution lies in fixing that instead of using mega events to be some sort of short-tem catalyst? That's not a sustainable way to develop as we can't always depend on hosting mega-events..

[Econ77]

Originally Posted by christian17

While i commend your for your thorough yet narrow understanding of what the nation may find rather more important to focus on, do you think that Gauteng would have a world class airport, train and riya vaya system TODAY! , if it wasn't for the world cup? Look carefully at KSIA built in a record time; these projects went into billions of dollars that if i was thinking narrow would have wanted it to build houses, roads or better sanitation systems.

Imagine for a moment (if SA had no world cup to prepare for ), what would have happened if all of a sudden the government said they were going to spend R20 billion in building a train system just to improve transport in gp.The country would have completely erupted and reject that idea but the world cup gave it a sense of calm and on time delivery.

Barcelona, Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Atlanta, Sydney .what do these cities all have in common? , they all hosted the games. These cities are a direct product of those games and Barcelona a prime example, would still be a slump/second city to Madrid if it wasn't for the games it hosted, which it used to rebuild itself completely creating a world class city we all admire today.

Like i said we need to think out of the box and not try to copy/paste what the previous hosts seemed to be good at.

They is no reason why South Africa wouldn't get 1million (direct/indirect) foreign visitors to the games.

All I’m saying is this is Africa, we are different from the rest and we can certainly bring it to those games.

Venues are not the issues; why not build some of the venues at UKZN or DUT so they will be used long after the games are over. AGAIN, we need to be innovative as to how we approach these games. The IOC has been waiting patiently for an African city to come up, yet countries are still sailing around.

These games are what SA needs to speed up change.

The biggest opposition to your argument, is that Gautrain, and the Gauteng improvment plan where planned and approved prior to SA being approved for the world cup.
(http://www.nra.co.za/live/content.php?Item_ID=260; http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/s...-kick-off.html)
The BRT systems I believe was approved because of it, but I am fairly certain that they would have been planned and approved regardless of the world cup.

The potential benefits of hosting olympic games have been discussed in massive detail and in many papers. It's clear cut that the economic benefit in almost all cases where a clear tourism culture already existed have proven debatable at best (Los Angeles being an exception, since the IOC covered all their expenses). If we where to gable on this, the odds would be against us. We should go for sure fire infrastructure improvements rather! The amounts discussed can easily pay off the Gauteng tolls roads for instance.

For reference http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~rosenl/...pics%20PWC.pdf

[christian17]

Hosting these games doesn't mean that the government will fit the bill..no no ,this is were innovation needs to slot itself in. They are billions of dollars in foreign investments that investors can pour in SA 's infastructure ,these people have been watching developing markets very closely but SA just continues to push them away.

Durban's games could actually be the most cost effective games of the 21st century.Again its how we approach and create innovative ways will they be cost effective.

Econ77: do you think that the gautrain would be up and running in 2011/2012 if it wasn't for the world cup ?

look at how long it has taken for the government to finally build an airport in La mercy ,thats over 50 years since the idea first came up ,yet it was built in less then 40 months.

SA isn't technologically advanceing or industralising as we hope it to be ,so were will government get funds to develop SA if we deside that the games are a waste of time ,Borrow perharps thus creating more debit ?

look at how long it takes for the government to deliver simple RDP house .

They are infastructure that are indirectly linked to the games such as transport which shouldn't be the government's priority rather the investors.The 2024 games will give investors a real reason to relook at SA as an attractive market and the government needs to create this market.

YES ! ,discussions have been made over and over and over...and its the same things that are repeated ,stop being another western puppet cause thats what many western cities are doing wrong when hosting the games . We need to look at what made the LA ,Seoul games so successful and profitable !.

http://futurecapetown.com/2012/08/ol...ties-legacies/

Hosting the games doesnt mean every thing in that city must be new.
Bring the world to Africa ,let them experience Africa not Europe in Africa and then see how successful the games will be.

[Econ77]

Originally Posted by christian17

Econ77: do you think that the gautrain would be up and running in 2011/2012 if it wasn't for the world cup ?

I already answered that; Yes. From the Railway Gazette regarding the Gautrain (I posted the link)
"The project was announced in 2000, before South Africa was chosen to host the World Cup."

Originally Posted by christian17

SA isn't technologically advanceing or industralising as we hope it to be ,so were will government get funds to develop SA if we deside that the games are a waste of time ,Borrow perharps thus creating more debit ?

And you believe investing in sporting infrastructure will enhance Industrialization? How about infrastructure investment? Surely a new port or railway will be a more efficient use of the funds. Those can not be directly or indirectly linked to hosting the Olympics.

Originally Posted by christian17

YES ! ,discussions have been made over and over and over...and its the same things that are repeated ,stop being another western puppet cause thats what many western cities are doing wrong when hosting the games . We need to look at what made the LA ,Seoul games so successful and profitable !.

You do realize that both examples you gave as successful is considered "Western Cities" right? Beijing is an example of a 'Non-Western' city. They spent $40 Billion, the biggest loss on the Olympics in history.
Secondly, it's' no mystery whatsoever as to why your examples where successful.

LA was the ONLY city in the world that bid for the Olympics that year, so they simply refused to pay anything. There was NO public funds used, the IOC sponsored the games. Obviously they would have scored.
Seoul was during the original boom of South Korea's economy, just as they became a stable country. As it pretty much put Seoul on the map for the first time since the Korean war, it basically created tourism to the country, also leading to FDI. SA is NOT in Isolation and already seen as a safe harbour in Africa, we cannot expect the same benefits.

Originally Posted by christian17

let them experience Africa not Europe in Africa and then see how successful the games will be.

SA already has an advanced tourism industry that contributes massively to the economy. Hosting the games is extremely unlikely to boost this much, especially considering we just hosted the World Cup.

[Licit Mortal]

Good luck , SA. You guys deserve it and you have matured to pull an event like Olympics with great success.

Hope our India would soon get transformed to a matured democracy and be able to host an event like Olympics successfully, without any hiccups.

[christian17]

Durban will spend about R25 billion upgrading its public transport system in the next 10 years.


According to The Mercury newspaper the Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network would be implemented in four phases.

The upgrade was expected to include the procurement of 800 extra articulated buses serving three high-volume corridors, and a rail route from Bridge City to the CBD running through Rossburgh, Isipingo and Umlazi.

Other improvements were the widening and upgrading of roads, the creation of dedicated bus lanes and pedestrian walkways, and the upgrading of bicycle lanes and parking facilities.

A bicycle-rent system from transfer stations similar to those in London and Paris would be made available, as would a park-and-ride facility for commuters to park their vehicles and then board public transport.


http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/201...ansport-system

There would also be a R1.5 billion upgrade, by the Passenger Rail Agency, of stations and signals along the route to ensure efficient synergy between rail and road transport.

The city would build new stations and bus terminals. There would be CCTV and enhanced security at all stations.