ATR Q&A with BC Premier Gordon Campbell

(ATR) British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell tells Around the Rings that early doubts about the Vancouver Olympics are misplaced. In a Q&A with ATR Editor Ed Hula, Campbell speaks with confidence about the way the 2010 Games are unfolding – and the long-term payoff of hosting the Olympics.

Campbell, BC premier since the days of the bid eight years ago, is also a former mayor of the Olympic City.

ATR : We are almost one week into the Games so how do you feel about how the Olympics are unfolding?

GC: I think it has been great. I have had the chance to meet a lot of people that have come from other places in British Columbia and Canada. They've love it here. And I talked to lots of the athletes and they've really liked it. I think winter athletes are used to weather being a challenge, so they understand what incredible work the people of VANOC have done. For me it has been a great time and I can tell for Canada it has been great.

ATR: Everyday there seems to some issue that pops up and it has prompted some in the media to say that these may be the 'worst Olympics ever.' Is this media criticism fair?

GC : I think that kind of comment is coming from media that are not here. They are certainly not talking to athletes, the visitors and to the sponsors. I have had a lot of sponsors tell me that this is one of the best (Games) ever.

If you look television ratings, these are way up from where they were in 2006. If you look at the type of competitions that are taking place —I was at the opening round Canadian women verse Slovakia hockey game and there were more people in the arena than there were for the men's final in Turin.

It has been really incredibly popular watching the skaters take off or watching the alpine events taking place. They've had had challenges with weather but the athletes are ready to go.

We wanted these Games to be good for athletes and I think they have been. They're raving about the athlete's village. They are raving about the energy in the city. I talked with a couple of people yesterday from our Canadian skating pairs and they said that they just love going into the city because people are so supportive and so incredibly warm and hospitable. So that is very important.

The IOC is generally very happy with what is going on. They understand the challenges. Everyone was struck by the horrible accident that took place at the sliding center. I talked to the president of Georgia and I was really pleased that they were going to stay here in the Games. He said to me that he couldn't believe how giving the support from VANOC, the IOC and the people here .

I think that on balance that these have been great Games for us.

ATR: It sounds like with all these little problems that come up everyday, you are not particularly flustered?

GC: Everyone would like to have a flawless Olympics. There is not one Zamboni or one ice machine that takes down a Games. It is not going to happen. I think what we have shown is that we know how to host the world and that we care first and foremost about the athletes and we want our visitors to have a great time while they are here.

So far, that is what I am hearing. They are having a great time, the sponsors are happy, the athletes are happy , people in Vancouver are excited, Canadians are happy, I'm good.

ATR: What is your role day-to-day during the Games? You are cheering on Canada of course but the premier still has to do run a government.

GC: We have about 70 events taking place through the 16 days of the Games. For example, on Monday we had a clean power symposium. We brought in investors from all over the world. We brought in our own technology people because we are going to become a clean technology, clean powerhouse, not just for Canada but for the entire western part of North America.

This has been a phenomenal platform for us. The Olympics is a huge platform for economic development. In fact, it is probably the single largest economic development opportunity that a region or a city can have.

ATR: Would you say economic development is a legacy of the Olympics?

BC: I think there is a clear legacy that will be coming from this. There is tendency of people who come from Vancouver and I am one of those to think that the whole world knows about Vancouver. The world is just discovering Vancouver as a result from these Olympics.

When you look at the kind of ratings we have got from NBC, our own CTV and internationally these have been very successful for us. We have incredible natural resources. We've made a point of showing off our wood products whether it is in the speed skating oval or in the international broadcast center. Our BC Canada pavilion has been a huge success. People are loving it, they are learning about the province and country. I think from our perspective that this will really be a launching pad into the next two decades of the 21st century.

ATR: Are you talking about return on investment here?

GC: I think there will be huge returns on investment. It always interesting to listen to people attribute costs but the very seldom attribute revenues. I can tell you that from what I heard from people to date is how much they like the place. They are going to come back for sure they say. They say 'we're coming back to Vancouver.' I talked to a major investor who sees major opportunities in Vancouver. I think we are going to see a major return on investment and it is really discovery time.

ATR: Can you put a figure on the true costs of the investment from the BC governmentinto the Olympics?

GC: I often talk about the cost of the Olympics. What does the IOC expect us to do to host an Olympic Games. That cost is about $1.7 billion dollars and British Columbia's share of this is about $700 million dollars. The fact of the matter is that that is all the IOC asked for us to do.

We said 'lets take this Olympics and use it as a springboard.'

The springboard is into a more active and more healthier lifestyle. The springboard is more economic activity. The springboard is into more tourism investment over the long-term.

The Olympic help create the Athlete's Village here. Some people say that entire cost should be for the Olympics for the 16 days. To be candid, that is ridiculous. What happened was that VANOC was able to give them 30 million dollars to start a neighborhood, which has been planned by the city for 13 years. It is there now and it is going to generate substantial revenues in the future. It is going to be here for 50 years and it was not built for the 16 days of the Olympic Games.

ATR: What would you like to see happen in these last 10 days or so?

GC: There are some events that I would like to happen. I would love for our women to win gold in hockey. I would love for our men to win gold in hockey. I think our curling teams have a great shot at getting gold. I would like for our athletes to continue doing extremely well. I think they have done well and we all hope that they will continue along that straight.

The major thing that I hope for the Olympics is that everyone who comes has a positive memory of Vancouver and British Columbia. I hope that British Columbians and Canadians recognize what we can do when we work together.

It is one of the great things that the Olympic gives to all of us. It give us the idea and understanding that when we act together and when we strive to the thing that we have in common, it is incredible what we can accomplish for the human family.

Interview conducted by Ed Hula .