With Beijing's opening extravaganza fresh in everyone's minds, Vancouver has big shoes to fill in 2010. But Vancouver's Olympic debut will be staged at a fraction of the cost of Beijing's.
The opening ceremony at the National Stadium in China was widely heralded as a feast for the senses, with a rumoured $100 million budget, more than 10,000 performers, a jaw-dropping pyrotechnics display and a trapeze artist lighting the Olympic cauldron from high above the heads of the crowd.
John Furlong, chief executive officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) was taking pointers during the ceremony in Beijing.
"We came out of the stadium just absolutely stunned at the magic and completely inspired at the opportunity that we have to go off and think and dream," Furlong told CTV British Columbia. "Our goal of course will be to be just as inspiring."
B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell also attended the ceremony in Beijing and described it as "delightful" and "inspirational."
"Despite the heat and humidity the entire stadium was riveted," Campbell told Canada AM on Monday. "They couldn't have done a better job, I don't think."
Both Furlong and Campbell's comments were made, however, before news broke that some of the elements in the stunning spectacle were faked. Reports confirming fireworks footage was digitally enhanced and lip-synching by a young performer dampened Chinese national pride in the ceremony.
But Beijing officials offered no apologies, saying their goal was to show China off in the best possible light.
Dick Vollet, VANOC vice president of workforce, is eager to learn from Beijing's mistakes.
"We're still in the planning phase for sure, but that's why this is so critical, to learn the lessons that we see in Beijing to make it a better experience here in Vancouver for 2010," Vollet told CTV British Columbia.
VANOC has been tight-lipped about what to expect the 2010 opening bash except that it will showcase Canada's story.
"I'd like the world to feel think they know a little more about Canada as our opening ceremonies close," the B.C. premier said.
"It's Canada's Olympics. It's Canada's opportunity to remind the world what we're going to be in the 21st century," Campbell said.
The world got a sneak peek at the Vancouver Games back in 2006 during the closing festivities for the Torino Winter Games.
Roughly 550 million television viewers were invited to "Come Play with Us" during an eight-minute presentation by VANOC.
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, opera singer Ben Heppner and pop sensation Avril Lavigne were on hand to switch the spotlight from Torino to Vancouver. The presentation came with a $1.7-million price tag and looked promising but when the world shows up on B.C.'s doorstep in 2010 they'll be expecting a whole lot more.
Staging an event of this calibre requires years of preparation, millions in funding and thousands of world class performers, not to mention hundreds more writers, choreographers, costume designers, sound and lighting technicians and volunteers.
The Government of Canada doled out exactly half of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games' $40 million budget for the opening and closing ceremonies.
"The amount of effort it takes behind the scenes to move performers in and out of their positions, the amount of volunteers and staff that's required to do that behind the scenes is incredible," Vollet said.
The 2010 opening ceremony will take place in Vancouver's 60,000-seat BC Place Stadium on Feb. 12 and is expected to be watched by three billion viewers worldwide.
Australia's David Atkins, producer of the 2000 Sydney Summer Games opening and closing ceremonies, is leading VANOC's efforts with the help of local music industry mogul Bruce Allen.
"I've done some pretty big rock shows but we're way behind this stuff, believe me. This is mind boggling," Allen told CTV British Columbia.
Atkins has a decided advantage over previous ceremony organizers. Vancouver will mark the first time in Olympic history the opening event will be staged in the comfort of an indoor venue. A controlled environment allows for superior audio, lighting and design elements.
"In his world, there's no greater audience, no greater opportunities, and no greater pressure. It's a one-shot deal," Atkins told Vancouver2010.com.
And then of course, it all needs to be torn down. The day after the opening ceremony the BC Place Stadium will be transformed to house the medal presentation ceremonies throughout the Games.
