Success Achieved As 2010 Olympics Showcase Alberta’s Vibrant Culture
With hundreds of business contacts made and resulting media exposure that would have cost about $70 million to purchase.
Albertans will see lasting benefits from the business, tourism and cultural promotion conducted at the 2010 Winter Games, Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver.
Alberta has a proud Olympics legacy, having hosted the 1988 Games in Calgary. More than half of the athletes on Canada’s 2010 team were born, live or train in Alberta.
“While supporting our athletes, we welcomed the world to three distinct Alberta venues – the Train, the Plaza and the House,” said Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. “Our goal for the Games was to promote Alberta as a great place to live, work, visit and invest, and we certainly achieved that.”
Highlights of Alberta at the Olympics include:
- The Alberta Train, which became one of the hottest tickets at the Games and attracted interest from guests and media from around the world. In total, about 2800 people rode the Alberta Train, including influential national and international tour operators and travel writers. Travel Alberta estimates that the resulting media coverage would have cost about $70 million to purchase.
- An average of about 1000 visitors from around the world lined up every day to dine on Alberta food products and enjoy free concerts by more than 40 Alberta performers at Alberta Plaza.
- Alberta House hosted more than 2250 national and international guests including athletes, sports federations, corporate leaders, tourism operators, media, government officials and young Alberta leaders.
- Special guests at Alberta House included Olympians Alexandre Bilodeau and Jenn Heil to Wayne Gretzky and the Canadian Curling Teams.
- More than 60 Alberta artists and groups showcased their talents during the Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad.
- 21 projects were showcased through the Cultural Olympiad including the Alberta Ballet; Alberta Theatre Projects; Catalyst Theatre; David Hoffos; Theatre Calgary; and John Wort Hannam.
- Participation of Alberta artists in ancillary cultural programming at many venues including the Talking Stick Festival; PRIDE House Whistler; Place de la Francophonie; the Aboriginal Pavilion; Art of Craft exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver and the Athletes’ Villages in both Vancouver and Whistler.
- Performance of Allez Ouest, Cadence Weapon, DJ Jay Mak and Raghav at the Victory Ceremony at BC Place on February 17 – Alberta Day. Paul Brandt also performed following the medal ceremonies.
- Release of Big Rock Brewery’s Untapped Volume 3 compilation CD featuring 12 Alberta artists on February 19. Visitors to Alberta Plaza received one of the1000 free copies of the CD.
“Alberta’s vibrant culture was showcased through the Cultural Olympiad and other arts programming connected to the games,” said Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. “From the middle of January through to the end of March, our home-grown talent is showing the world that Alberta’s arts and cultural talent is as rich and diverse as our province.”
Premier Ed Stelmach and 12 provincial Cabinet ministers promoted Alberta over 17 days of the Games. Over three years, the government invested $14 million to acquire venues and promote Alberta in Vancouver/Whistler.
The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province’s industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.
Topics: 2010, a great place to, Alberta, business, Canada, Canadian, Canadians, culture, games, Governance, government, Government of Alberta, invest, live, moniter, monitor, news, olympics, parks, Parliament, promotion, province, recreation, tourism, visit, work
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