Venues: A simple look at the new Buildings

Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2010 in Sports | 0 comments

While many people enjoy the Olympic events, sometimes one of the parts that gets overlooked during the Games in the venues themselves. Over the past decade, building design, seating, revenue, marketing and new innovation have changed the way venues look, feel, and cost. Written below, is a simple breakdown of what venues at Vancouver 2010 you will see while watching the games and the events that are being hosted at these locations.

*All information is found on Vancouver 2010 website.

BC Place Stadium
Seating: 55,000
Events: Opening and Closing ceremonies, Victory Ceremonies.
Summary: This is the largest seating venue at the Vancouver Olympics. While no events will actually be played here, this venue will be the busiest spot for the Olympics day in and day out.

Canada Hockey Place
Seating: 19,300
Events: Ice Hockey
Summary:
Also known as GM Place, this venue will play host to the event most Canadians will care about at this years Olympic Games. Both men’s and women’s hockey teams will play their games at this venue and will be full of dramatic, meaningful hockey games that no one can reasonably afford.

Cypress Mountain
Seating: 12,000
Events: Snowboarding & Freestyle Skiing
Summary: Before we begin this summary, Cypress Mountain will have snow on it for the Olympics, end of discussion. This venue will be home to some of the “coolest” Olympics events. The half-pipe snowboarding event is a fantastic watch and the freestyle skiing competition will leave spectators saying “I was at Cypress Mountain when …”

Richmond Olympic Oval
Seating: 7,600
Events: Speed Skating
Summary: This is a brand new facility, located in Richmond sitting on 11 acres of land. This $178 million dollar venue will host the likes of many well-known Canadian speed skaters, like Jeremy Whetherspoon and Cindy Klassen among others. The Oval, after the Olympics, will be a major training facility for speed skaters in Canada and will have many long-term benefits for the public.

Pacific Coliseum
Seating: 14,200
Events: Figure Skating & Short Track Speed Skating
Summary: This venue will be another one of the busier events, but not for the reason you may think. Because of the differences between Figure and Speed skating, this venue will be “renovated” during the Olympics, prepping for the change in events. This venue has already been renovated once, changing it from the hockey surface that the WHL’s Vancouver Giants use, who are now playing at the LEC until the Olympics are finished.

UBC Thunderbird Arena
Seating: 6,800
Events: Ice Hockey
Summary:
Thunderbird arena will play host to some ice hockey games, like Canada Hockey Place. This venue will play host to the “smaller” hockey games, but will be more used in the long term after the Olympics, giving the UBC Thunderbirds a new arena to play hockey games in while providing another ice rink for the public.

Vancouver Olympic Centre
Seating: 5,600
Venues: Curling
Summary:
If you like curling, this is where you will spend every moment watching the event. This new facility is a stunning venue that cost $88 million. Taking two years to build, the Vancouver Olympic Centre is another long-term facility for the public and is gorgeous from the inside and out.

Whistler Olympic Park
Seating: 12,000
Events: Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping
Summary:
Located in Whistler, this isn’t so much an actual facility as much as it used space well used. Hosting 4 different, but similar events (aside from Ski Jumping), this is the most scenic venue that Vancouver 2010 has to offer. You will see many television shots; hear lots of positive comments on the environment from the athletes, and wonder at some points while skiing and shooting occur in the same event?

Whistler Sliding Centre
Seating: 12,000
Events: Luge, Skeleton, and Bobsled.
Summary:
This event will take people’s hearts by storm and will provide some of the most heart-wrenching, adrenaline flowing events you will ever watch. Also located in Whistler, this venue will hold some of the most entertaining, jaw dropping sports one will ever see. With speed, precision, and power, the Whistler Sliding Centre should be on the top of your list to visit.