My compliments to former Millennium Dome supremo, PY Gerbeau, for nailing the Olympics 2012 nonsense squarely on the head re lack of accountability etc.
The hapless Jowell still claims it will cost less than £10BN!
See their chat on the BBC.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Monday, 9 November 2009
Olympics Now Costs £14BN
It seems that my warnings about the costs of the Olympics being out of control, made repeatedly on this site, are proving to be correct.
The Telegraph reports that the oft reported budget figure of £9.325BN is in fact bollocks. Note, I have repeatedly stated that the figure (even if costs don't rise) should be £12BN as there are around £2BN of running costs that need to be added in.
However, on top of this, the Telegraph notes that there are "hidden" costs being spent by other public bodies that amount to at least £2.7BN.
That brings the total cost of the Games (including £2BN running costs) to over £14BN.
My personal bet is that the costs will hit around £20BN by the time these games are held in 2012.
The hapless Olympics minister, Tessa Jowell, told Parliament last year:
"I have made it absolutely clear to all the many stakeholders in the Olympics that £9.325 billion is the absolute limit of public money, whether it comes from the lottery, the London council taxpayer or the Exchequer."
LOL!
The London Olympics will turn out to be a white elephant of monumental proportions.
BTW, I did warn the Mayor of London (20 June 2008) about the budget:
"Boris
I will stake my reputation (such as it is) on the fact that the cost for the games will hit £20BN
http://the2008olympics.blogspot.com/search?q=%C2%A320BN
Remember, on top of the current "budget" of £10BN there are £2BN running costs..you do know that don't you?
Good luck!
Ken Frost MA FCA FIPFM"
Oddly enough, he never answered!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
The Telegraph reports that the oft reported budget figure of £9.325BN is in fact bollocks. Note, I have repeatedly stated that the figure (even if costs don't rise) should be £12BN as there are around £2BN of running costs that need to be added in.
However, on top of this, the Telegraph notes that there are "hidden" costs being spent by other public bodies that amount to at least £2.7BN.
That brings the total cost of the Games (including £2BN running costs) to over £14BN.
My personal bet is that the costs will hit around £20BN by the time these games are held in 2012.
The hapless Olympics minister, Tessa Jowell, told Parliament last year:
"I have made it absolutely clear to all the many stakeholders in the Olympics that £9.325 billion is the absolute limit of public money, whether it comes from the lottery, the London council taxpayer or the Exchequer."
LOL!
The London Olympics will turn out to be a white elephant of monumental proportions.
BTW, I did warn the Mayor of London (20 June 2008) about the budget:
"Boris
I will stake my reputation (such as it is) on the fact that the cost for the games will hit £20BN
http://the2008olympics.blogspot.com/search?q=%C2%A320BN
Remember, on top of the current "budget" of £10BN there are £2BN running costs..you do know that don't you?
Good luck!
Ken Frost MA FCA FIPFM"
Oddly enough, he never answered!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Friday, 6 November 2009
Olympic Weather Forecast
The Met Office will be providing weather forecasts etc for the London 2012 Olympics.
The forecasts will start from now, and will cover all of the 2012 venues; they are intended to help to give an up-to-date overview of the "micro-climate" at each competition and training venue.
This from the organisation that told us were in for a "barbecue" Summer!
ROFLOL!
Here's my forecast, it will either be "hot for the time of year" or "what ghastly weather!"
I guarantee that the Met Office will be unable to surpass that for accuracy!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
The forecasts will start from now, and will cover all of the 2012 venues; they are intended to help to give an up-to-date overview of the "micro-climate" at each competition and training venue.
This from the organisation that told us were in for a "barbecue" Summer!
ROFLOL!
Here's my forecast, it will either be "hot for the time of year" or "what ghastly weather!"
I guarantee that the Met Office will be unable to surpass that for accuracy!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Illusory Boost To Tourism
Despite the hype spewed forth by the IOC and politicians as to the tourism benefits arising from hosting the Olympics, the reality is in fact very different.
That at least is the view of the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).
The association have issued a report that states that the London 2012 Olympic Games may in fact have a "detrimental" impact on tourism in London.
The report notes that cities that host the games suffer a drop in tourism in the years around the event.
ETOA state that London will most likely see a fall of around 2.5 million visitors and a loss of £1.5BN of revenue.
The claims made by politicians, and those with a financial interest in the games, of a boost from the Olympics are "wholly illusory" according to ETOA.
ETOA used data from the past six Olympics to compile the report. All the host cities experienced a major disruption to their normal tourism market, and none showed any obvious signs of tourism growth.
Beijing experienced a fall in international visitor arrivals of 30% in the month before the games.
Sydney lost "significant ground" to other Australian and New Zealand cities.
ETOA Executive Director, Tom Jenkins, is quoted by the BBC:
"We have yet to have a games where tourism has not been disrupted, and disrupted in a way that causes real harm.
Even in the case of Athens, where they carefully restricted new capacity, there were considerable losses before and after the games both in the capital and throughout Greece."
The costs of these ruinous games clearly outweigh the benefits.
Question: Why on earth do cities still compete to hold them?
Answer: The egos of the politicians, and the money to be made by the vested interests (eg multi nationals) with no local stake in the city/country hosting them.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
That at least is the view of the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).
The association have issued a report that states that the London 2012 Olympic Games may in fact have a "detrimental" impact on tourism in London.
The report notes that cities that host the games suffer a drop in tourism in the years around the event.
ETOA state that London will most likely see a fall of around 2.5 million visitors and a loss of £1.5BN of revenue.
The claims made by politicians, and those with a financial interest in the games, of a boost from the Olympics are "wholly illusory" according to ETOA.
ETOA used data from the past six Olympics to compile the report. All the host cities experienced a major disruption to their normal tourism market, and none showed any obvious signs of tourism growth.
Beijing experienced a fall in international visitor arrivals of 30% in the month before the games.
Sydney lost "significant ground" to other Australian and New Zealand cities.
ETOA Executive Director, Tom Jenkins, is quoted by the BBC:
"We have yet to have a games where tourism has not been disrupted, and disrupted in a way that causes real harm.
Even in the case of Athens, where they carefully restricted new capacity, there were considerable losses before and after the games both in the capital and throughout Greece."
The costs of these ruinous games clearly outweigh the benefits.
Question: Why on earth do cities still compete to hold them?
Answer: The egos of the politicians, and the money to be made by the vested interests (eg multi nationals) with no local stake in the city/country hosting them.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Improving The Brand
Locog CEO Paul Deighton proved that he is not the man for the job of running Locog, nor should he be entrusted with taxpayers' money, when he said the other day:
"We're looking to put on a brilliant games that really works. To leave behind all those legacies and to improve the brand."
Why, pray tell, should the British taxpayer be funding the brand building of the IOC?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
"We're looking to put on a brilliant games that really works. To leave behind all those legacies and to improve the brand."
Why, pray tell, should the British taxpayer be funding the brand building of the IOC?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Retro Dining
BT are planning to reopen their revolving restaurant, at the top of the BT Tower in central London, in time for the London 2012 Olympics.
The restaurant has been closed to the public since 1980.
Regrettably, instead of looking for a good chef who can cook well, they are looking for a celebrity chef to oversee the restaurant.
The restaurant contains a 10ft-wide revolving section of floor that provides diners with a 360-degree view of London, it takes 20 minutes to complete a full revolution.
Given its limited seating (around 70) it is highly unlikely that the ordinary citizen will ever have the opportunity to dine there, I guarantee it that will be swamped with corporate bookings and (given the fact that a "celebrity chef" will be running it) the prices will be out of reach to most.
Which is sad as the Olympics legacy, I assumed, was meant to be for all the people not just the privileged few.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
The restaurant has been closed to the public since 1980.
Regrettably, instead of looking for a good chef who can cook well, they are looking for a celebrity chef to oversee the restaurant.
The restaurant contains a 10ft-wide revolving section of floor that provides diners with a 360-degree view of London, it takes 20 minutes to complete a full revolution.
Given its limited seating (around 70) it is highly unlikely that the ordinary citizen will ever have the opportunity to dine there, I guarantee it that will be swamped with corporate bookings and (given the fact that a "celebrity chef" will be running it) the prices will be out of reach to most.
Which is sad as the Olympics legacy, I assumed, was meant to be for all the people not just the privileged few.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Monday, 2 November 2009
Olympics Spice
It would seem that the Spice Girls (a pop group that was famous in the 90's) may be planning a comeback just in time for the 2012 Olympics, and actually perform at the opening event.
All very nice, except for the fact that they already have made a "comeback" in 2007.
Has there been no new British musical talent since the 90's?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
All very nice, except for the fact that they already have made a "comeback" in 2007.
Has there been no new British musical talent since the 90's?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
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