Thursday, November 01, 2007

Vancouver Boondoggle Centre expansion

Initial projected cost of Vancouver Trade and Convention Center expansion - $495 million
Current projected cost - $883.2 million
Is this the last and final increase - No

Reason for over-runs - Project was begun before design or budget was completed.
What's the big rush? - 2010 Olympics

Who was Chair of Convention Center Committee up till April - Ken Dobell
Who is he again? - Gordon Campbell's top advisor and former chief of staff, Mayor Sam Sullivan's contracted advisor on homelessness and cultural projects for the City of Vancouver, and Chair of Vancouver Organizing Committee for 2010 Olympics
What the fuck? - Yeah, he lobbies both governments on the same projects he's drawing a salary from both of them for. Under investigation.
And who has Dobell been replaced with? - David Podmore of Concert Properties who spearheaded the successful Yes campaign for the 2010 Olympics.

Where did the land for the Convention Centre expansion come from? - Marathon Realty, Premier Gordon Campbell's previous employer, sold the land to the province for $27.5 million in 2003.
But like the Sea-to-Sky Highway expansion to Whistler Village and the RAV line, this Convention Center expansion isn't being counted as an Olympic cost, is it? - Nope.

How's the original Convention Center doing? - Between 1997/98 and 2003/04, the convention delegate attendance declined 43%.

So who actually is benefitting from this expansion then?......Hello...... Hello?.....

2 comments:

West End Bob said...

A plot thickening, I would say . . . .

Chris said...

Nice...I would like to see you utilize this very interesting format for more investigations. You have a way of laying out the facts rather clearly!

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