An early morning press conference involving international and local media revealed that in addition to the 64% “Yes” result that Vancouver voters provided yesterday, 90% of people with an opinion who were polled across Canada also support a 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Bid officials told media that a letter was sent to IOC President Jacques Rogge last night with all of the details.
When asked how the plebiscite results would compare with recent polls in Salzburg and Pyeongchang showing much stronger support – Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell suggested that the “sampling” of 130,000 voters in Vancouver might be more meaningful than the much smaller polls conducted elsewhere. The Mayor promised that the campaign for local public support will “never be over” and that the opposition might eventually support the bid.
Vancouver 2010 Bid CEO Jack Poole promised that the campaign will focus internationally now that the local issues are resolved.
The bid will “prepare for the poll that really counts” Poole remarked, referring the the IOC Host City Election scheduled for July 2 in Prague when 126 IOC members will cast their vote.
British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell and Bid President John Furlong were also on hand and they thanked the efforts of the “Yes” team which included over 1400 volunteers on plebiscite day. Voter turnout was three times that of a normal plebiscite.
Reporters from around the globe including London, Paris, New York and Toronto were asking questions which suggests a wide interest in the 2010 race, but possibly for an ulterior reason – the 2012 bid. A question from the New York Times asked how the Vancouver results might impact a Toronto 2012 bid. That immediately prompted Poole to say that no such bid exists and that Toronto and the Canadian Olympic Committee were supporting “Canada’s Bid”.
New York is in the running for the 2012 Games and London and Paris are expected to join in. Toronto has shown interest in a 2012 bid since losing out to Beijing for 2008, but a campaign would have no chance if Vancouver hosts the Games in 2010.
