 Poster: A snowHead
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Having aspiration is fine but it helps build a broader base of support if that aspiration is reasonable rather than. built on unicorns and fairy tears. |
Bot it can work both ways. Sometimes, an aspiration is the first thing needed to start "building a broader base of support".
Having an "aspiration" debated and shut down is as good a good way to start. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Ricklovesthepowder wrote: |
Please, just hear me out before im shot down in flames!!!
Ive been thinking about this for a while now. Does anyone else think that Scotland should be considered for hosting a Winter Olypic Games?
There are lots of plus points to consider
* Great transport links already in place. Roads are pretty good from the Central belt heading North, plus lots of Airports to fly into from Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow. There are also very good rail links from the South meaning access would be pretty straight forward
*Scenery - some of the most beautiful scenery in the World, and would be a great place to stage the biggest Winter event.
* Basics are already there. Some great ski areas are already in place, which could be built on and improved with the success the games bring. Scottish skiing could do with a boost, and the games would cetainly improve things up there with better facilities all round.
*After the games had finished, there would be a group of world class resorts with great facilities for the public to benefit from.
*Maybe have a split Olympics where events are held at a few different locations. Cairngorm, Glencoe and Nevis are the obvious choices, but Glenshee would certainly be considered for some events.
Snow is obviously going to be the biggest draw back, and to have a Winter Olympics, you need a lot of Snow. I watched a skiing event in the centre of Moscow a few weeks back which was in a purpose built arena. If the Russians can pull it off, surely Scotland can do? Yes a lot of man made snow would be needed but i dont really see that as a huge issue. There is ample water suplies up there to make the snow already if it was needed.
Just interested with everyones thoughts on this, and wouldnt it be great to see the Winter Olympics here in the UK? |
Not part of the UK any more though.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Now winter is upon us and Scottish snowfields are filling in nicely, surely I have a few more Scottish Olympic dreamers on board?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Not read every post yet ( watching the Jump ) but was it not mentioned here or somewhere else that S.Korea is extending the top of the hill ?
Could Scotland host the Olympics yes no reason why not bar one very large reason. As mentioned before the weather but not for lack of snow more the unpredictable but frequent high winds. The odd day during the games is fine but Scotland could have a week of them.
Do I think the games will ever come to Scotland ? While Scotland is part of the UK no chance as financial restrictions from Downing st will prevent it ever happening.
Is Ricklovesthepowder, trolling? Not really why not discuss it after all nothing is happening re certain BASI members v ESF, and think this is a better discussion than CG V GA re SCGB.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I am not trolling I am being deadly serious. If Sochi, a remote outpost in Russia can host it (remember the lack of snow and high temps during the event) then there is no reason why Scotland can't. Would it be a challenge, yes of course it would but the benefits would be huge.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Ricklovesthepowder, Was not suggesting you were trolling.
I think the high winds are the biggest issue just look at the problems they have had at the world champs, and Scottish resortts have a lot more problems than there.
It would be good to see them come to Scotland but I doubt with the British gov we have and look likely to have for the forseable future that the finances will prohibit even a feasability study into the logistics involved to make it happen.
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@Ricklovesthepowder, @speed098, I can't believe I'm alone in thinking that a Scottish Winter Olympics is an utterly daft idea. Scotland may have had a couple of decent seasons for snow, but it's far from being reliable. The weather is frequently atrocious and, more to the point, we simply don't have a mountain big enough for some events. The cost of hosting it would be huge, and yet I don't believe the returns would be that great. You might end up with an extra ice rink or two in a nearby city but what else? You can't use Sochi as justification because that was always a vanity project and was only achieved at huge cost. The fact that Scotland's ski resorts have rumbled along at the edge of bankruptcy for decades has nothing to do with the lack of world class facilities and far more to do with the lack of big mountains, reliable snow or reasonable weather.
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@foxtrotzulu, did you feel the same about the Olympics coming to London, regarding cost v return?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@foxtrotzulu,
But then what real returns for the cost of the summer Olympics. Did it help thousands of homeless people in this country?
You have valid points and they would be the reasons why a gov would not do it but could it be done the answer would have to be yes! will it be done the answer would be no!
There are shorter downhill courses so yes it could just be done but would need a lot of snowmaking available ) probably have to build fridges to make the stuff to ensure they have enough.
Oh annd I have not even mentioned the inviromentalists who would cause irripearable damage to the delicate eco system turning up in their thousands to protest.
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@dode,
| Quote: |
@foxtrotzulu, did you feel the same about the Olympics coming to London, regarding cost v return?
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I think the cost/return equation for the Summer Olympics is questionable at best. We've ended up with some world class facilities even if they are struggling to be fully used. Sports participation has slightly increaseed but reports suggest it has sunk back to its pre-2012 levels. However, there has been some significant regeneration and infrastructure improvements of the area so that's a plus. 2012 also gave us all a bit of feel-good. Overall, it may just have broken even in terms of cost-return.
However, would the same equation work for Olympics at Glencoe or wherever? The Alpine facilities would be far more likely to become white elephants simply because of the location and population density of the surrounding areas.
Could it physically be done? Possibly, if you had a lot of luck with the weather. But, does it make any sort of sense? Not really. We could build a goilf course on the Moon, but it doesn't make much sense.
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Oh annd I have not even mentioned the inviromentalists who would cause irripearable damage to the delicate eco system turning up in their thousands to protest.
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Pi$$ing off the tree huggers would be a major benefit, so maybe I'll reconsider my objection to the idea. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Skied at Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, mid Jan to mid Feb. No shortage of snow. Big steep terrain. Heaps of rowdy off-piste. 3 stations of 4600-5000ft verts, that could easily be tied together French style with a couple of lifts and cat tracks. The Olympic venues were at the bottom end, so would have been more affected by warm temps. From 4000ft upward avg snowfall would be considerably more than most of Alps. The biggest area, Rosa Khutor (5040ft vert) was well patronised. Alpika Servis (4600ft vert) was under reconstruction. Gornaya Karusel (4975ft vert) was pretty quiet. Didn't ski the smaller flatter Gazprom Laura resort. Would go back in a heartbeat if tourist visa rigmarole was relaxed. May still do.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Here a a few reasons why not.
Look at the dual carriage way system to the resorts involved in the Albertville Olympics on changeover day at peak times- Then look at the A93
Count the hotel beds in Aviemore, then compare to Vancouver. The Officials would fill Aviemore, t he media companies Inverness, the fans would have to stay in Aberdeen..
Snow will be fine above 2000ft -you can make it if you've got enough money and water. You can't stop the wind, by far the biggest disrupter of Scottish skiing. Not sure where they'd get reliable cover for cross country skiing.
Lift systems to cope with all the visitors?
Car parking?
Mountain restaurants and facilities?
A long enough steep stretch for the slalom?
A cold enough place for the bobsleigh track?
On a positive note the welcome would be the warmest ever and the local tipple the finest in the world.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| Ricklovesthepowder, You're right, it is easy to be negative about this idea. But..... there really are too many things to be negative about. The issue isn't that Scotland and 'rump UK' are short of people interested in winter sports. We're all fanatical about it, so what would be the possible benefit of having the games in Scotland? Scotland doesn't have the mountains, the snow, the weather, the infrastructure, the money, the accommodation, etc.. You could use games money to build the best resort in Europe and people still wouldn't come. |
Quite agree with you !
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