Olympic Budget

[s,one]

I'm wondering what the olympic budget will end up at , old BJ (mayor BJ) was on the telly this morning telling us that not one penny more than 9.3 billion pounds would be spent.
I reckon we should run a book and I'll have a fiver with anyone that the cost will end up at least twice that.Christ I'm in the building industry and have yet to see a goverment project go any less than twice over it's budget.
No doubt the Tories (as they will be in power) will come up with something akin to the jobseekers allowance (you know the one that keeps the uneployed numbers down) and call it the community swimming arena or community veladrome so it's taken from a different budget but no doubt we will end up carrying the can.

[Simpo Two]

[quote=s,one]I'm wondering what the olympic budget will end up at , old BJ (mayor BJ) was on the telly this morning telling us that not one penny more than 9.3 billion pounds would be spent.
[/quote]

That was a silly thing to say.

However the IOC is ordering us to 'Match Beijing' (which I think does not mean 'Torch Beijing') and quite how we're supposed to match a burgeoning superpower when, by 2012, we shall be totally bankrupt, I have no idea.

In 1948 post-war Britain we did it for 10/6s by keeping the athletes in sheds and feeding them spam fritters. Might be a handy tip...

[mcflurry]

It's already something like 5 times over budget....

[jeevescat]

One of the reasons we got the olympics is because we agreed to bring some perspective back into the budget for the games, as for us being ordered to match Bejings budget, it was I believe only one IOC member who said we should double our budget.

[speedy_thrills]

jeevescat said:

I believe only one IOC member who said we should double our budget.

So we can have empty stadiums as well? I like the idea of the 'most budget' olympics .

[voyds9]

The London Olympics will be brought in on budget.

The books will be 'cooked' to show this.

Other budgets will be found for improvements, regeneration, re-energisation, supplementary building, roadworks etc.

[FunkyNige]

I don't think we should try and match Bejing to be honest, having more performers at the opening ceremony than there are athletes at the games just strikes me as showing off and not what we should aspire to.

[Fittster]

The taxpayers alliance have put thr figure at around £20 billion pounds, so every household in the UK must come up with £800 for the games.

• ODA Olympic Park budget (March 2007)- £9.3bn, plus...
• Other sports venues (HoC Library bid summary)- £0.6bn, plus...
• Games running costs (HoC Library bid summary)- £1.5bn, plus...
• Broadcast/media facilities (HoC Library bid summary)- £0.1bn, plus...
• Associated transport infrastructure (HoC Library bid summary)- £7.

http://burningourmoney.blogspot.com/2007/11/2012-b...

[PantsoftheShandy]

Is it just me who thinks the olympics is a massive waste of money??

9.3 billion! Every four years! Im sure that money is needed urgently elsewhere

[Hedders]

I tend to read between the lines these days.

If he is saying we won't spend another penny, he must be planning to move us over to the Euro by then so he can spend 'cents'.

[Silver993tt]

Budget on announcement of winning Olympic games hosting was £2.5 billion, now it's £9.3 billion. What's so under budget about that?

[jaf01uk]

I totally agree, millenium dome, millenium bridge, Scottish parliament, all either plagued with problems or massively over budget or both, the government who are supposed/should have the best lawyers in the country can't come up with a contract that sees the builder responsible for any overcosts? The companies just put in a ridiculously low quote knowing that no matter what it costs they'll get paid!
And the hypocracy of the GB thing annoys me somewhat, at this olympics the participants were told in no uncertain terms that individual country flags would not be tolerated, they were there as team GB and as such union flag was all that was allowed, so where are the Scottish, Welsh, N Irish venues being built/utilsed seeing as it's a GB effort!!
Gary

[Silver993tt]

jaf01uk said:

I totally agree, millenium dome, millenium bridge, Scottish parliament, all either plagued with problems or massively over budget or both, the government who are supposed/should have the best lawyers in the country can't come up with a contract that sees the builder responsible for any overcosts? The companies just put in a ridiculously low quote knowing that no matter what it costs they'll get paid!
And the hypocracy of the GB thing annoys me somewhat, at this olympics the participants were told in no uncertain terms that individual country flags would not be tolerated, they were there as team GB and as such union flag was all that was allowed, so where are the Scottish, Welsh, N Irish venues being built/utilsed seeing as it's a GB effort!!
Gary

You wouldn't want any of it in your area. Everyone in London is paying extra council tax each year until 2012 to help the funding. I feel very lucky not having a London postcode where my house is located, especially because I'll make sure I won't be in the UK for the month before, during and after the mess

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 11:28

[Simpo Two]

And while we're being told that carrier bags are bad for the planet, what exactly is the carbon footprint of an Olympic Games, eh, EH?

At a guess I'd suggest 'fking massive'. And for what? So a few otherwise unemployed types can run around in circles for a few minutes? Bah, I say. Bah!

[Silver993tt]

Simpo Two said:

And while we're being told that carrier bags are bad for the planet, what exactly is the carbon footprint of an Olympic Games, eh, EH?

At a guess I'd suggest 'fking massive'. And for what? So a few otherwise unemployed types can run around in circles for a few minutes? Bah, I say. Bah!

That's right, how many seats arriving at Heathrow will be solely for the games, some millions? How many extra millions of tons of CO2 is that Mr Brown?Another reason for the games not to be in London. All those extra flights on hold pattern burning/wasting fuel plus all the unnecessary taxing around Heathrow (the most inefficient airport in Europ, if not the world). Simply for the believers in manmade global warming (the government being the largest) the games should not be in London due to it's chronic infrastructure.

In fact where is the EU when we need it? Surely the final decision should be taken by the EU to determine which EU city is fit for such an event or not and also which city needs any potential economic benefit etc rather than leaving it to a group of greedy private companies/ government of one country.

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 13:15

[s2art]

Silver993tt said:

In fact where is the EU when we need it? Surely the final decision should be taken by the EU to determine which EU city is fit for such an event or not and also which city needs any potential economic benefit etc rather than leaving it to a group of greedy private companies/ government of one country.

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 13:15

Whatever the pros and cons there are for holding the Olympics, what damn business is it of the EU if Britain chooses to bid for the games?

[Jimbeaux]

s2art said:

Silver993tt said:

In fact where is the EU when we need it? Surely the final decision should be taken by the EU to determine which EU city is fit for such an event or not and also which city needs any potential economic benefit etc rather than leaving it to a group of greedy private companies/ government of one country.

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 13:15

Whatever the pros and cons there are for holding the Olympics, what damn business is it of the EU if Britain chooses to bid for the games?

Because you are all subjects of Belgium..........sorry, just stirring the $hit.

[AndrewTait]

s2art said:

Silver993tt said:

In fact where is the EU when we need it? Surely the final decision should be taken by the EU to determine which EU city is fit for such an event or not and also which city needs any potential economic benefit etc rather than leaving it to a group of greedy private companies/ government of one country.

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 13:15

Whatever the pros and cons there are for holding the Olympics, what damn business is it of the EU if Britain chooses to bid for the games?

Same business that makes the EU stick their noses into our business with all other aspects of life.

[Einion Yrth]

Jimbeaux said:

s2art said:

Silver993tt said:

In fact where is the EU when we need it? Surely the final decision should be taken by the EU to determine which EU city is fit for such an event or not and also which city needs any potential economic benefit etc rather than leaving it to a group of greedy private companies/ government of one country.

Edited by Silver993tt on Sunday 24th August 13:15

Whatever the pros and cons there are for holding the Olympics, what damn business is it of the EU if Britain chooses to bid for the games?

Because you are all subjects of Belgium..........sorry, just stirring the $hit.

AFAICS Jimbeaux the only difference is that the parasites in Washinbgton speak the same language as you.

[Hedders]

Ok, why would they use a foreign child to represent London?

Would any other country do that FFS?

Edited by Hedders on Sunday 24th August 14:38