Edmonton scored "a runaway victory" Thursday in its bid
to host the 2001 World Track and Field Championships, the
world's third largest sporting event, according to Mark
Spector of the EDMONTON JOURNAL. Edmonton received 22 of
the 24 votes cast and "easily defeated" Paris; Stanford, CA
and New Delhi, India, which withdrew from the competition.
Spector writes that in addition to "intense lobbying" from
high-ranking city and country officials, Edmonton's bid was
also "bolstered" by "leaked reports that Paris was really
shooting for the 2003 games, and Stanford's proposed budget
of about $40 million was half that of Edmonton's" (EDMONTON
JOURNAL, 11/20). The committee has budgeted $60M for the
2001 event (CP, 11/20). The 2001 Championships "will have a
total economic impact" of C$386M in Alberta and C$286M in
Edmonton "alone" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 11/20).
WHEELIN' AND DEALIN': In Edmonton, Terry Jones reports
that an "exceptionally creative" TV deal that was put
together in the final few days and hours prior to Edmonton's
bid presentation "sealed the deal." The package "will
involve" the Organizing Committee buying the Canadian TV
rights of all IAAF properties, including the '99 and 2001
World Championships, as well 30 other events worldwide.
Although IAAF President Primo Nebiolo wanted US$5M for the
rights, he settled on a price of US$2M from the Edmonton
committee. The Edmonton organizing committee "can either
package off the rights" to outlets such as CBC, TSN and CTV
SportsNet, or "acquire the time and sell the commercials
themselves" (EDMONTON SUN, 11/20).
