Article on Lake Placid sustainable Olympic Model

http://3wiresports.com/2012/11/29/a-fresh-look-at-the-lake-placid-model/

Very good article on how the winter Olympics are getting so big and costly that the venues can not be sustainable

Great article, thanks for posting it up.

Amazing that ORDA funding has basically been a line-item for the last 30 years, and it gets renewed every time. I love it, but I can see some angry taxpayer irate that we still dump tons of money into facilities that have marginal public utility (particularly for the vast majority of the population that lives in NYC and Long Island).

But the same argument can be made about Public golf courses, the Erie Canal, etc. I'm just glad that the Region is actually producing Olympic caliber athletes. Makes it hard to argue that we have nothing to show for our investment.

a vibrant economy in the tri-lakes is another return on investment.  

ScottyJack wrote

a vibrant economy in the tri-lakes is another return on investment.

True, but I've always found that "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Is a better argument than: "we're taking your tax money Utica, Buffalo, and the Bronx, and we're going to use it to improve the economy of a couple of towns in the Adirondacks"

economic development is subsidized by tax dollars in every community in the nation!  

But I'll go w/ USA USA!!

espically 2day.  Two local boys racing Birds of Prey!!  

ScottyJack wrote

economic development is subsidized by tax dollars in every community in the nation!  

I'm aware, but I think you realize that the situation with ORDA is kind of a unique case (it's not like giving a 15 year tax waiver to a chip fabrication plant, it's actively employing people and running facilities that probably wouldn't exist if not for the direct investment). Like I said. I love it, but others might not (especially when their own areas could use some economic development funding).

I have never seen less money spent from year to year by NYS.  So lets assume our money is going anyways.  Funding ORDA does not bother me in the least.    

I don't want to get into the political issue of state funding.  The point this article made is that Orda is doing a great job of sustaining the Olympic facilities and at a much lower cost than other more recent Olympic host cities.  

Coach Z wrote

I don't want to get into the political issue of state funding.  The point this article made is that Orda is doing a great job of sustaining the Olympic facilities and at a much lower cost than other more recent Olympic host cities.  

Agreed

I do wish ORDA would pursue a FIS World Cup Alpine event at Whiteface and would like to see them invest in the Oval and bring bring skating events there.

I know ORDA includes perks in their Whiteface season pass program; but I have often thought they could offer more options.  For example, as an alternative to the Whiteface/Gore pass they could offer a Whiteface/Oval pass.

No question that they are doing a good job keeping the Flame burning; we started skiing southern VT as a family and on a typical day we would ski from 8:30 to 3:30, just ski the entire weekend.  Since we have committed to Whiteface our skiing styles have changed; we still ski to 3:30 on some days, but other days may be to noon or a complete "day off" and enjoy the other Olympic venues.

A World Cup race would be great marketing for Lake Placid.  The big question is, can Whiteface handle an FIS World Cup without significant infrastructure improvement?   I looked into this from the cross-country point of view for an article on FasterSkier.

If they have to spend significant $$ to upgrade Whiteface to current standards that could be a stumbling block.  There's also the issue of travel for the World Cup teams, officials etc.

BTW, Kudos to ORDA for getting a right-sized Pisten Bully to van Ho.  

Peter - I have nothing against X-C but I don't think that the investment to have a WC X-C race would provide anywhere near the return that an Alpine WC would have.  You already mentioned the investment required at Mt Van Hov. and Whiteface would not have to spend much to have a alpine race.  The exposure of Alpine race is much higher as the on US soil Alpine events get carried on NBC.

Orda annually hosts the sledding WC and freestyle WC so we are in the mix for world class events.  I think the problem with Alpine is that the schedule has the North American events too early in the season for us.  Our opportunity is in Olympic years when the schedule gets mixed up or when Vail has the World Championships.

@ CoachZ.  Are the trails at Whiteface up to current FIS standards to hold a world cup event?  I know that homologation is a project at van Ho.

As for the relative return ROI on a cross-country vs alpine world cup.... well alpine may be better ROI but I can't help going to bat for xc.  No disrespect to alpine.

Do you know what NBC paid for TV rights for the races in Colorado?

Why not have both.  It is proven that any world cup event brings in a lot of money to the community.  Bob Sled/Luge bring teams in from all around the world.   Those people have to eat and sleep somewhere.  And while there at it they should fix up the speed skating oval and start going after those events as well.  Out door rinks are back in vogue.  Just seems it has proven itself successful(  WC Events)  Why not try and get them all.

Oh and its pretty cool when you are out around town and run into the german bobsledders.  Visitors love that kind of interaction while at the olympic village.  Good memories=return trips.

It would be totally awesome to have both alpine and cross-country events in Lake Placid.  Putting on a cross-country world cup costs about $1.5 million.  I don't know about costs for an alpine wc or a speedskating event.  

the bob sledders and luge work because they dont have to depend on Ma nature as much.  I think the risk is not the ROR if the event goes off  but when Ma nature cancels it.  

The speed skiating rink would be a lot less weather dependent.  

Peter I just saw this on the NYSEF site - 4 FIS Homologated Trails at Whiteface.  That is why the added Drapers Drop about 10 years ago so that they can have every alpine disicpline at the WC / FIS level.  Whiteface had the Alpine US Nationals as recently as 2010.

I loved the Bobsledding and recently took my son to see it.  I think it would be awesome to see a WC speedskating event outside.  That would not lead to world records but hey every skater would be judged against the same coniditons that the others have to face so why not.

I do think it would be be very difficult to make a profit on a X-C event even with tax revenues from visitors and teams added in.  There was a Biathalon event about 7 years ago where Orda was offereing free passes to Whiteface for employees that would sit in the stands on a weekday so it looked well supported on TV.  Nothing against Nordic but commerically its a tough sell in the US.

I don't think the money is in the spectators..but the people that come to compete.  Ever gone to bobsledding events.  Ever pay? Ever see many people?  They come every year  I'm guessing it must have a positive impact.  May be the bob sled rides  keep the upkeep costs down or may be even cover them.  My point is its the world cup that brings the money in not the spectators.   The skiing events are iffy with the weather.. but why the heck is the ice rink left aside like the ugly step child.  Eric Heyden the man with the biggest thighs I have ever seen kicked the snot out of everyone on that rink.  It seems a lot cheaper to upkeep an ice rink VS Bob Sled and the return would be about the same dollar wise coming in.

Coach Z wrote

There was a Biathalon event about 7 years ago where Orda was offereing free passes to Whiteface for employees that would sit in the stands on a weekday so it looked well supported on TV.

I was there, was fun to watch.
Hard to believe it was almost 8 years ago.

I'm with you on the skating - how cool would it be to have WC races at night under the lights on the oval