On The Record -- Saad Rafi on Toronto 2015

Around the Rings: First of all, what’s it been like for you over the past three months coming into this position? You’re not known as someone who was involved with Toronto 2015 in the bid stages. Has this been a learning experience for you?

Saad Rafi: Well, it certainly has been, learning about the preparations. I've been working very hard in balancing learning the operational elements, the capital infrastructure elements, and I've been speaking to at least twenty different locations and events, talking to about 6,000 people, trying to get the word out. So I’m trying to balance all of those things, and it’s been an absolute joy and a terrific honor for me so far.

ATR: How about the sports side of things? Some of this is not so familiar to you, I guess?

SR: I’m pretty familiar with sports. I've been active all my life and played some competitive sports as well. I’m a sports fan, so that doesn't hurt either.

ATR: About a year ago, you couldn't imagine yourself being the chief executive of the biggest sporting event in 2015.

SR: Well, you know, here’s an interesting fact: four years ago, I interviewed for this job. I was one of two people. The premier of the day, who had to make the decision recommended by the board, wanted me to go to an organization called the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and you don’t say no to the premier. I went off and did that for four years, and as luck would have it, here I am now.

ATR: Since you've come aboard, have you made any changes? What difference has it made having you aboard as CEO?

SR: Well, the second half might be a question to put to staff. When I arrived, we were making the shift from planning the function into operations and games delivery because we had fifteen months remaining. I found it necessary to reorder the responsibilities a little bit at senior levels and also put a stronger focus on strategic communications, so I reassigned some responsibilities among the remaining executives. I thought we needed to be a little more nimble and flexible in our decision making.

ATR: There was a bit of an image problem for Toronto 2015 when you came aboard. The questions involved Ian Troop's handling of the leadership of Toronto 2015, concerns about security costs, the increase in the overall budget of the games. Has Toronto 2015 had to overcome some image problems to improve its standing in the community, per se?

SR: I think there were articles that spoke to and criticized the organization on some fronts. I think that the organization, prior to my arrival, responded quite deliberately and quickly. [Toronto 2015] increased its transparency by way of example, and now all expenses are posted on the Internet. I do want to address one point: our budget hasn't changed from the outset. It’s still $1.4 billion for capital and operating. I think both levels of government, federal and provincial, have said that this is the allocation we get. This is what we’ll work with, and we’re going to do our best to put on a great games with those funds. But, having talked to a lot of people who have been in organizing committees in Canada and abroad, we now have an opportunity to start getting people interested in what is now a closer horizon because we’re only 14 months away from the games.

ATR: What are the big projects ahead that you still need to accomplish?

SR: I would say, on the capital side, we are starting to see the first signs of what I would call receiving the facilities to us ahead of the games. We’re very close to the first substantial completion of our pools, dive tanks, and fieldhouse facilities. We are starting 45 test events, starting May, of which 28 are international. A couple of weeks ago, we launched our volunteer calling for over 20,000 volunteers. We've got 10,770 signed up already. The one-year countdown starts July 10th. It’ll be a fantastic kickoff for the games. And, of course, we’re having more co-com and technical committee visits, and our venue operating plans are in good shape. Our ticket launch will come this fall.

ATR: What about transportation? I've read that people are worried about traffic jams around the Pan Am games. Is this a likelihood?

SR: We’re trying to work so people will feel that there’s a plan in place at a very granular level to ensure the most efficient modes of transportation. A few examples: London’s target for getting people to use alternative transportation was 20% diversion. They achieved something in the neighborhood of 30%. We have a 20% diversion target. The Toronto area will offer free transit with the purchase of a spectator ticket. We will encourage companies to provide and allow work at home opportunities for their staff, especially in the core of Toronto. We will work with a committee led by our department of transportation and all 16 municipalities and Toronto 2015 to create specific transpiration plans around each venue. We also have satellite villages for our more distant municipalities. We’re working really hard to ensure it’s a smooth transportation experience for spectators, commuters, and commerce.

ATR: Even with the way venues are spread through the metropolitan area, are you expecting a crush of traffic around these games?

SR: First, its summertime, and all of our municipal transportation leaders tell us that traffic tends to be a little lighter. Secondly, we have four or five satellite accommodations, so that’s going to help the movement of athletes – an important consideration when it comes to transportation issues.

ATR: You’ve had the chance to meet with Mario Vázquez Rañafrom the Pan Am Sports Organization, I would assume. He’s been known to push and prod heads of organizing committees of Pan Am games, sometimes having a challenging relationship with them. How is the relationship between Toronto 2015 and PASO right now?

SR: I don’t think it could be better. He was very complimentary of our progress in the last meeting. He hosted us the evening before. I was led to believe he was a gentleman, and he demonstrated that. He’s a proponent of our games and he felt very confident in our progress, so I was quite heartened by the meeting we had with him.

ATR: Any items of action you need from PASO to move ahead? Anything waiting for approval?

SR: I don’t believe so. We still have to make sure they’re comfortable with our approach to ceremonies and protocol aspects, which of course we’re going to respect, but that’s all well ahead. We have Lambis Konstantinidis, who heads up our NOC/NPC international services and the PASO relationship, and our chair and Senor Vázquez Rañahave a good relationship going back to the bid.

ATR: Given the experience of Toronto so far, organizing and preparing for the games, do you think Toronto would still go forward knowing what they know now?

SR: I think so. I think the legacies that these games are going to leave are some of the most important reasons to host an event like this. I think that sport really does have a positive impact on society, so there’s a sport legacy, but the social and economic legacy the games are leaving for high performance athletes and communities is really important. While I can’t read people’s minds, I’d like to think we’re doing really well by these communities. The feedback I get when I’m talking to mayors and Kiwanians and Rotarians is that they’re thrilled when they see these training facilities coming out of the ground. Athletes, for example, now have training facilities in Canada, so they don’t have to travel the world to train.

ATR: How is Toronto a better place for preparing and hosting these games?

SR: I think it’s a better place for improved tourism opportunities, improved sports tourism opportunities. I think it gets the chance to profile its multicultural heritage and nature. It gets to demonstrate that it’s a strong arts and cultural venue as well. With the broadcast going into 500 million households, what a fantastic way to profile the region!

ATR: Some say the Pan Am games are a good test of whether Toronto could host an Olympic Games. Do you agree?

SR: I don’t know about that. I just know that I have my eye on one objective: to make this region light up, and receive a quarter million people, and to put on the best games ever. Whether that means other civic leaders will decide to go forward with other bids, that’s up to them, but that’s not my focus right now.

Interview conducted by Ed Hula

Homepage photo: Getty Images

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.