Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 Winter Olympics action plan forms A Snohomish County group is examining what the county has to offer visitors coming to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. By Mike Benbow / Herald Writer Snohomish County officials rolled up their sleeves on Tuesday, ready to go for the green before, during and after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. A diverse group of people from organizations such as the Tulalip Tribes, the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, Worksource and the Port of Everett assembled to form subcommittees to look at marketing the county for the games. The effort isn't any too soon, said Mary Rose of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. "They are working hot and heavy," Rose said of the Olympics organizers in Canada. "They're super-organized. We need to be ready to promote what we offer as the closest metropolitan area." Members of the SnoGold 2010 Committee plan to meet every three months to identify business opportunities related to the games and to determine how to reel them in. The group's hope is that Snohomish County's proximity to Vancouver will attract people heading to and coming from the games. That includes teams that need a training site, visitors and even Canadian residents who want to flee the area until the games are over. "We need to tell them why they should come to Snohomish County on a cohesive and coordinated level so we're not competing with each other," said Kate Reardon, a spokeswoman for the city of Everett. Rose said the state is hoping to develop a comprehensive program and has chartered two studies to look at opportunities. Among them will be working with companies in Canada to develop partnerships to bid on construction projects or manufacturing of licensed clothing or other souvenirs. "There will be bidding opportunities for contracts," Rose said, noting that a web site with information on business opportunities, www.2010commercecentre.com. The games will need security, medical services, food, engineering, construction, communications equipment, furniture, entertainment and a variety of other goods and services, Rose added. The games are expected to need 25,000 guest rooms and be visited by 5,000 athletes, 10,000 members of the media and 14,000 volunteers, Rose said. She said the state is already identifying countries that may need training sites and will try to match them up with what's available in Washington. She said the state hopes to work with the venues selling tickets to the games to offer information on travel packages that involve Washington. "We will also look for the rebound visitor, Canadians wanting to escape Vancouver during the games," she said. Noting the many Tulalip members at the meeting, Rose said she's also hoping to set up a summit with First Nations people from Canada and Washington tribes to identify opportunities that can be developed.

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