Congratulations Vancouver

[CaptainCrunch]

It started rough for you, but in the end it turned out to be a great games and your city is full credit for that.

Congrats on holding the second best winter games in Canadian History. :)

[Joborule]

Really makes the people saying the Olympics will be a failure at the start look pretty foolish now. :)

Vancouver was an awesome time for the city and this nation! Good show!

[GirlySports]

The Winter Olympics should automatically be in Canada every 16 years.. same with US.

Should go Canada, other, US, other, Canada, other, US, other and so on.

[burning_acid1]

Too bad the weather didn't turn out better in Vancouver for the winter Olympics this year.

[Flamesoholic]

Thanks Vancouver, you brought us all together and renewed our Canadian pride. Ya done good and you should be proud!

[soulchoice]

Being there is was a thread made seconds before mine, I am going to repost my statement.

Congrats to both Vancouver and more importantly Canada on doing us all proud. These games are the greatest Winter Games in history. Despite the slow start and criticism, in my opinion, the city and our country did us proud. I have witnessed many games(attended as a kid) from 1980 and on, and this was a by far the most patriotic and fun time I have ever had for the Winter Games. In my mind, this is the new benchmark.

Congratulations VANOC!

[Svartsengi]

Good job Vancouver!.

[Regehrian]

I think you guys are just drunk...

How many beers have you had, anyway? My god, it's only 5 o' clock.

just kidding.
Hear, hear!

Vancouver, if you are reading this, thank you for the good times.

[burnin_vernon]

I don't want it to end :(

[silentsim]

Sledge hockey in a week or two..Git r done boys!

[3 Justin 3]

I don't want it to end :(

Me neither. :whaa:

[I-Hate-Hulse]

As someone that went to Vancouver to take in events, I think VANOC certainly deserves some credit. When I was there, the Skytrain worked like a dream, the venues (Richmond, UBC, Curling) were great and easy to get to, and there was always a helpful volunteer around to answer questions. Cypress was indeed a disaster, but then again, Mt Allan wasn't exactly a rousing success either.

Now, hopefully the trick magnesium cauldron won't turn into the eternal flame... (/has a vision of Gretzky unceremoniously dousing the flame with a CO2 extinguisher)

[Displaced Flames fan]

The Winter Olympics should automatically be in Canada every 16 years.. same with US.

Should go Canada, other, US, other, Canada, other, US, other and so on.

Colorado is long overdue. I know it's a bit of a trip from Denver to the best alpine venues, but it would be well worth it IMO.

I know there was a push to get the games in Vail a many years ago...that would be tough...the valley isn't big enough for the growth, but calling Denver the host city and using Vail as venue would be good.

[Mad Mel]

Big huge thank you to the OP. It's been a great Games!

[getbak]

Colorado is long overdue. I know it's a bit of a trip from Denver to the best alpine venues, but it would be well worth it IMO.

I know there was a push to get the games in Vail a many years ago...that would be tough...the valley isn't big enough for the growth, but calling Denver the host city and using Vail as venue would be good.
After what they did with the 1976 Games, I don't know if the IOC would ever give Denver another chance.

[Methanolic]

Good Thread.

And Thumbs Up to the Greater Vancouver Regional District and all the citizens who reside in it. You've shown a lot of Class.


"Vanoc" Isn't included in my "Thumbs Up".

[Flame On]

Congrats indeed.
You can consider the podium owned.

[Red_Baron]

You guys FAR exceeded my expectations!
Awesome job, you're city looks great in RED!

[getbak]

Awesome job, you're city looks great in RED!
And no waving white towels, just Canadian flags.

[Vulcan]

BBC is now singing a different tune, no longer worst and something London can learn from.

One senior official from London 2012 (http://www.london2012.com/), who's been in Vancouver, told me that she's learned more from five days in Canada than she had from three weeks in China. That's because, in terms of spectator experience, London will be looking to follow the Vancouver model.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jamespearce/2010/02/worst_ever_these_olympics_may.html

In-depth interview with Jacques Rogge who says this is a city that has embraced the games like no other games before.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/8540224.stm

[Canuck-Hater]

Awesome job Vancouver, you should be damn proud of your city what a party they put on. I hate the Canucks and they suck, but the 2010 olympics were awesome.

[Walter Reed]

Best winter games held in Canada's most beautiful city.
Congrat's Vancouver!
Well done.

[Thor]

Very proud of these games, thanks for the amazing memories!

[henriksedin33]

Gee, HotHotHeat has sure been quiet after proclaiming the games a massive failure 4 days in.

[troutman]

Well done Vancouver.

Congratulations Canadian Athletes.

I am drained.

I want to go to Sochi.

http://sochi2014.com/en/

XXII Winter Olympic Games
7 - 23 february 1439 days left

[Mike F]

Truly a great Olympics that did Canada proud.

Thank you, Vancouver, for hiding Alex Burrows, your homeless drug addicts, your dirty hippies, and your typical February relentless rain and gloom while we were visiting.

You may now resume sucking.

[Hades]

As someone who was there, it was an amazing experience; transit worked well, great atmosphere, and tons of fun! Same thing in Whistler, though on a smaller scale, which almost made it better.
All around great time!!

[Winsor_Pilates]

Time of my life. I'm really sad it's all done now, but I guess real life has to resume at some point and one can only drink so much.
Vancouverites did an even better job than I would have expected, being someone who lives here.
It was nice to high five, hug and cheer with all of them for a couple of weeks, but now back to basics.
When I wake up tomorrow, they're all stupid Canucks fans again, and Iginla is no longer yours to cheer for!!!!

[pylon]

All shots aside, and despite a very shaky start to the games, I will give the City of Vancouver the props it deserves. The fact that they kept the events running at Cypress was nothing short of miraculous. The weather truly gave them a bucket of lemons, and they managed to make an epic pitcher of lemonade.

However, now that it is all said and done, I need to get back to my full time job of bashing 7uongo once I scrub my skin off with a loooouffa sponge to wash off all the Looooooou cheering residue I did the last three games.

[browna]

Yeah, no big issues within the city it seemed, no security issues other then some punks on the first weekend knocking over mail boxes like the rebels that they are.

Or, did it seems there were restrictions on public movement anywhere within the city or walking past blatantly armed military.
Something that can't have been said for Beijing and likely won't be said for London, Sochy, or Rio.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Or, did it seems there were restrictions on public movement anywhere within the city or walking past blatantly armed military.
Something that can't have been said for Beijing and likely won't be said for London, Sochy, or Rio.
What restrictions?

[browna]

What restrictions?

Poorly worded...I meant that there were no restrictions in Vancouver.

[Heavy Jack]

Of everything that I have had the privilege to experience this one takes the cake. So glad to be in this city during these events. We got to perform at Granville Island on Feb 20th and we also played Robson street right by the CTV tent and the atmosphere was second to none :D Will have video of that up soon!!

[endeavor]

It has been an exciting and memorable Olympics! Thank you Vancouver!

[Igottago]

Easily the best vibe this city has had since I've lived here. Vancouver can be known to be a little snobby and a little flakey at times, and I can totally see why. But for the past couple of weeks, people were a lot friendlier than usual, everyone got in the spirit of things, and the city really came together and I think did a great job making it a positive experience.

[MelBridgeman]

Amazing 16 days.
Good on my former place of residence, you did us all proud.
Can't wait for the games to come back to Canada

[malcolmk14]

The first 12 or 13 days of the Olympics, it was cool, but nothing really special to me anyway. It wasn't real, I guess, and I spent most of it in Mexico watching from afar on TV.

Then Friday morning I flew out to Vancouver to see it for myself.

It really made the last 3 days special.

What an amazing weekend.

[getbak]

Can't wait for the games to come back to Canada
Toronto 2024 would be my guess.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Toronto 2024 would be my guess.

They're bidding for 2020. I'll be heading to 2012 in London! should be a good time.

[getbak]

They're bidding for 2020.
They're discussing it, but I don't see it happening. 10 years after Vancouver is a little too close, and the IOC wants to go to Africa. If South Africa doesn't screw up the World Cup, I think they have the inside track on 2020, like Rio did for 2016.

Although the IOC doesn't always do what's expected, early speculation is that 2018 will likely go to South Korea and 2020 is probably South Africa's to lose.

That would make a return to North America likely for 2022. Reno-Lake Tahoe in the States and Quebec City are both kicking the tires on possible 2022 bids. If Quebec doesn't get 2022, Toronto could likely put together a successful bid for 2024 or 2028.

[jar_e]

VANOC and the Integrated Security Unit needs a huge pat on the back. I spent a week there and everything was pretty much flawless. I only waited more than 20 minutes for one event out of 14 events and security was a hassle at times but no problems at all. Security was obviously present but it wasn't in your face and they seemed very lenient on a lot of issues.

[kenk-la]

Easily the best vibe this city has had since I've lived here. Vancouver can be known to be a little snobby and a little flakey at times, and I can totally see why. But for the past couple of weeks, people were a lot friendlier than usual, everyone got in the spirit of things, and the city really came together and I think did a great job making it a positive experience.

I agree 100%. I was rocking my Suomi Kiprusoff jersey, and for as many times as I got the ol' "go back to your own country" from some drunks I got twice as many cheers and high-fives from people. It was just awesome to see Vancouver so welcoming, fun, and patriotic really. I may have been skeptical about the Olympics (and the associated costs) at first, but now I don't want this to end. :(

P.S. Reno-Tahoe 2022 would be awesome. Make it happen IOC.