I'm from North Vancouver and I also didn't get a vote even though everyone has to drive through N. Van to get to Whistler and we will have a few of the games in N.Van. (no I'm not bitter that I didn't get a vote
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Regardless, what most people seem to think when it comes to the games and whether the money should be put elsewhere is that we would not be getting any of this money from the Federal government if we were not getting the games. So it isn't like we are just spending hundreds of millions of dollars that could go to feeding the needy. Without the olympics we wouldn't get the money to improve anything. At least with the olympics we will get new recreational facilities, road improvements all over the lower mainland as well the sea-to-sky, and money will come in.
If we lose money on the olympics it doesn't really matter. Think about it. Let's say we spend 3 billion on building up the infrastructure to support the olympics and only get back 2.5 billion. That still means we have built 3 billion dollars worth of infrastructure improvements for a bargain $500,000.
Me, I can't wait. And just so you know you likely can't book hotel rooms for 2010 yet. My boss tried already and the Fairmont at least isn't accepting room requests for 2010 until 2006 or 7.