Sports & Auto News
Hi everyone. The newest AutoMatters column (# 218) is now online. It is entitled "Hybrid Battery Technology: In Memory and in Honor of Dave Hermance." It is a tribute to Dave, who was known by some as the American father of the Toyota Prius. He died last week in a crash of his experimental airplane.
Since this is a double-length column, expect the next AutoMatters in about two weeks.
Its direct link in the www.AutoMatters.net 2006 Column Archives is: http://www.automatters.net/2006%20Columns/0218.htm.
For new visitors to AutoMatters online, here is some more information that you might find useful:
You may access this column by navigating to it in the 2006 Column Archives via the Home Page at www.AutoMatters.net. If you prefer, you can go directly to this column by clicking on the above link (or, depending upon how your email is set up, you may have to cut and paste it into the address line of your browser). If there are a lot of photos in this column, it may take a bit longer than usual to display on your computer. If one or two photos don't fully display, try clearing your Internet temp file and then do a View --> Refresh.
While at the AutoMatters Web site, take a few moments to explore the other columns and photography that is there. The 2004, 2005 and 2006 Columns Archives are now complete. All that remains are the 2002 and 2003 Column Archives, which I will do as soon as I can. Also, I made finding things in the archives much easier by adding a clickable, descriptive thumbnail photo to go along with the text for each entry.
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Thank you.
Jan
Mr. Jan Wagner
AutoMatters automotive columnist/photojournalist & multimedia writer
Memberships: Motor Press Guild, American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA), Nikon Professional Services
Newspaper Audience: readership exceeds 170,000 and is growing!
AutoMatters Web site online at www.AutoMatters.net
Accolades: AARWBA - both first place awards for color photography in our 50th anniversary 2005 journalism competition
San Diego, California
jwagner2@san.rr.com
In memory of Dave Hermance
– Toyota Spokesperson, Technical Expert and Great Friend of the Prius Club of San Diego
The Prius Club of San Diego has lost a great friend and tireless source of technical information with the untimely death of Dave Hermance yesterday, November 25, 2006. Dave was practicing aerobatic maneuvers when the single-engine Interavia E-3 he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean off San Pedro.
In the two and a half years that we have known Dave, he made himself available whenever possible, favoring our Club with outstanding and timely presentations on three occasions, the last just this past October 8 in Carlsbad regarding the latest battery technology. Dave always brought something new for our members to experience…the Lexus 400h months before it was available for sale in the US, the new 2007 Touring Edition Prius…but most of all he brought his enthusiasm, expertise and willingness to share his knowledge.
Dave did this not in his official capacity with Toyota, but on his own time and at considerable sacrifice of his precious weekends. Mary, his wife, accompanied Dave on his trips to join us and we found her equally engaging. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to her at this incredibly painful time.
We will miss you Dave and think of you every time we get in our Prius you had so much to do with bringing to the marketplace.
Sev MacPete
President
Prius Club of San Diego
Information regarding services, remembrances, etc will be posted as soon as available
Auto Club: Gas Prices Up for Thanksgiving Travelers
November 22, 2006 -- Travelers heading into the holiday weekend will see the third straight week of price increases at the pump, but will still pay about the same amount for their Thanksgiving driving trips as they did this time last year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.489, which is three cents higher than last week, two cents lower than last month, and three cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.538, 3.2 cents above last week's price, seven cents above last month, and less than half a cent below last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.749, up 4.2 cents from last week, three cents below last month, and ten cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.494, up 2.1 cents from last week, two cents higher than last month, and five cents higher than last year.
"Heading into this weekend, oil industry analysts have noted some wild fluctuations in both wholesale gasoline and crude oil prices, but they can't point to any single factor that caused these jumps," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "If the market settles down quickly after Thanksgiving, prices at the pump should not be affected long-term."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 22:
Record Price Los Angeles–Long Beach $2.489 +3.0 cents $3.402 (5/13/2006)\
Orange County $2.444 +3.2 cents $3.371 (5/17/2006)
San Diego $2.538 +3.2 cents $3.438 (5/15/2006)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $2.749 +4.2 cents $3.491 (5/16/2006)
Riverside–San Bernardino $2.494 +2.1 cents $3.445 (5/15/2006)
Bakersfield $2.547 +3.1 cents $3.450 (5/16/2006)
Las Vegas, NV $2.461 +2.1 cents $3.176 (5/17/2006)
VANOC congratulates Alberta government for investing in Canadian athletes and Western Canadian sport infrastructure for 2010 Games and beyond
November 20, 2006The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) congratulates the Government of Alberta on its valued contribution of $69 million in funding towards the core facility of Canada’s first Centre of Sport Excellence in Calgary. The announcement of this new funding by the Alberta government was made earlier today, and applauded by the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA). Read more about the announcement at www.canadaolympicpark.ca.
VANOC has long supported CODA’s vision for this project, recognizing the enormous impact the existing Calgary 1988 Winter Games facilities have already made to the Canadian winter sport delivery model – and the significant value-added benefit a Centre of Sport Excellence will offer Canadian athletes as they prepare to excel at the 2010 Winter Games.
“This investment by the Government of Alberta will contribute significantly to furthering the important legacy of the Calgary 1988 Games,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “It will also profoundly strengthen the ties between the Calgary, Canmore, Vancouver and Whistler communities, and will give our Canadian athletes the ultimate advantage as they work to Own the Podium in 2010.”
Indeed, in August of this year, VANOC provided a letter of support to CODA, in which Furlong stated: “It is my belief the road to Vancouver must go through Alberta if we are to achieve our collective goal of Canada finishing number one at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With Canada Olympic Park serving as the hub, the Centre of Sport Excellence in Alberta will assist in providing Canadian athletes with the resources and competitive advantage needed to be the best in the world.”
Cathy Priestner Allinger, executive vice president, sport, Paralympic Games and venue management for VANOC, underscored the importance of such investments for Canada’s high-performance athletes, and the next generation of Canada’s medal winners. “Investing in a Centre of Sport Excellence, and the facilities that constitute its makeup, is a win-win for us all in Western Canada. It ensures our training and competition facilities remain world class, while giving our athletes an important and very real edge on the field of play.”
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Full details on the Own the Podium 2010 program are available at www.ownthepodium2010.com.
Thanksgiving Travel in Southern California Will Increase by 2.5 Percent, Says Auto Club
November 20, 2006 -- More than 2.97 million Southern Californians are expected to travel over this Thanksgiving holiday weekend -- a 2.5 percent increase over last year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Of those, nearly 2.4 million -- or 80 percent of Southland travelers -- will drive, while nearly 429,000 will fly and 148,000 will go by other means. Car travel is expected to be 2.5 percent higher than this time last year, while air travel is projected to increase by 2.9 percent.
Statewide, the Auto Club expects 4.75 million Californians to take Thanksgiving trips -- also a 2.5 percent increase compared to the 4.64 million who traveled during the holiday weekend in 2005. More than 3.83 million statewide are expected to travel by car and 687,000 will fly.
Nationally, holiday travel is expected to increase by 2.7 percent compared to last year, with 38.3 million Americans projected to make getaways of 50 miles or more. Nearly 83 percent of travelers nationwide -- or 31.7 million -- will drive, and 4.8 million will go by airplane.
"The Transportation Security Administration is expecting extra-long lines at airports this Thanksgiving because many people will be traveling for the first time since the new carry-on restrictions on liquid items were imposed," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "If you're traveling by plane this holiday, make sure you arrive at the airport at least two to three hours early."
For details on items allowed and banned in both check-in and carry-on luggage, travelers should contact their travel agent or visit www.tsa.gov.
The top five destinations for Southern California travelers, according to a survey of the Auto Club's AAA Travel agents, are:
1) Las Vegas 2) Mexico (driving, air and cruise trips) 3) San Diego 4) Grand Canyon 5) Hawaii
Gas prices in most California regions over this holiday are expected to be similar to the prices that Thanksgiving travelers paid last year -- between $2.40 and $2.50 a gallon in most areas. For every other holiday weekend this year, travelers were paying more than $3 a gallon for gas.
Auto Club statistics for holiday travel are based on research conducted for AAA by the Travel Industry Association.
Seeing the hundreds of thousands of fans along the Swan River was an
incredible experience, especially from the sky."
"Winning the Red Bull Air Race World Series has become my crowning
achievement", said Chambliss. "There's just no other series like it in
aviation sport."
Besenyei finished in 02:39.78, followed by Bonhomme (02:40.37) and
Chambliss (02:42.24). It was Besenyei's second win of the season after his first
place finish in Barcelona in May.
Flying just metres above the water and under a clear blue sky, the
pilots flew at speeds of over 400kph while negotiating a series of inflatable
'air gates' in front of the cheering crowds. It was an outstanding end to an
exciting season that has attracted and thrilled more than 6 million
spectators worldwide to watch eleven of the world's best race pilots
compete in challenging, high-speed and one-of-a-kind courses.
Richmond Oval construction on target for 2008 opening November 17, 2006Building construction was officially launched today for the Richmond Oval, home of the speed skating competition for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The City of Richmond was joined today by Paralympic medallist Shira Golden and Olympic speed skating hopeful Andrew Godbout, along with representatives from the Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia, Four Host First Nations and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) to mark the start of building construction.
“The Richmond Oval will be a world class facility and the premier legacy of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “We can’t wait to see to see Canada’s next Olympic champions step to the top of the podium in Richmond Oval and listen to O Canada while our flag flies high. We’re just as excited about the generations of Richmond residents who will come to the Oval to take advantage of its outstanding services for sports and wellness or to take part in the many community, cultural and special events that will be held here.”
The Governments of Canada and British Columbia have each committed $30 million toward construction of the Richmond Oval, as part of their overall commitment to the venues budget for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The City of Richmond is responsible for additional project funding. Total budget of the Oval and related projects, including the waterfront park and plaza and parking structure, is $178 million.
The Richmond Oval will be home of the long track speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, with a 400-metre track and seating for approximately 8,000 spectators. The Richmond Oval is expected to be home of up to 12 medal events in 2010, with a potential 36 medals to be awarded.
“The Richmond Oval will be a signature venue for the 2010 Winter Games and will serve as a stage for countless Olympic moments that will inspire the country and the world,” said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “We’re excited about today’s construction milestone and look forward to continued progress as we anticipate the arrival of Canadian athletes in 2008.”
During the next two years, more than 1.1 million cubic feet of concrete, 5.6 million kilograms of steel rebar and one million board feet of lumber will go into completing the mammoth 33,650 square metre Richmond Oval.
The Richmond Oval is on target for its scheduled opening in the fall of 2008. In addition, approximately 55 per cent of the construction trade tenders have now been awarded and the
project remains within its $178 million budget. Most of the remaining construction tenders will be awarded within the next month and current projections continue to indicate they will also fall within budget estimates.
Post-Games, the Oval will become BC’s premier multi-purpose sports, recreation and wellness facility. The project also includes the creation of a new international destination and meeting place. The Oval, along with an adjoining waterfront plaza and park, will be the centre piece of a major new City Centre community to be developed on 32 acres along the banks of the Fraser River.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Cypress Mountain freestyle venue competition-ready for 2010 Winter Games
November 16, 2006More than three years before freestyle skiers dazzle spectators with their jumps, twists and turns at the aerials and moguls events in 2010, the freestyle site at Cypress Mountain is the first 2010 Winter Games venue to be competition-ready.This marks a significant achievement for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) – an achievement celebrated by VANOC executives and numerous invited guests. Also taking part in commemorating this special occasion were distinguished freestyle athletes Kristi Richards (Canadian World Cup Mogul Team/Torino 2006 Games) and Steve Omischl (Canadian World Cup Aerial Team/2005 World Champion/Torino 2006 Games/Salt Lake City 2002 Games).
"Early completion of our competition sites is a cornerstone of the Vancouver 2010 venue development program," said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. "The sooner our venues are ready, the sooner our athletes will have access to the sites to enhance their chances of podium success in 2010. We started our venue construction as early as possible and are delighted to recognize this milestone, marking the first in a series of completed venues that will offer both meaningful and lasting legacies to our community.”
Cypress Mountain will serve as the venue for four freestyle skiing events, including men’s and women’s aerials and moguls, and six snowboard events: men’s and women’s parallel giant slalom, halfpipe and snowboard cross (provisional).
VANOC’s budget for the freestyle and snowboard site is $14.6 million, jointly funded by both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia as part of VANOC’s $580 million construction budget. The construction process began in May 2006 following a comprehensive environmental review.
Key partners at the ceremony included Linda Swain, Cypress Mountain General Manager; District of West Vancouver Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones; James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary for the Asia Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics and Member of Parliament (Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam), representing the Government of Canada; Joan McIntyre, MLA West Vancouver—Garibaldi, representing the Government of British Columbia; and John Furlong, Vancouver 2010 CEO.
As one of the most popular winter destination areas in BC, Cypress Mountain attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The 2010 Winter Games upgrades will enhance the Cypress experience for both recreational and competitive users, providing a legacy for sport development while creating lasting benefits for communities for years to come.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Promoting Peace and Tolerance Through Sport
November 16, 2006 Adolf OgiThe Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are an incredible opportunity to promote peace and tolerance through the power of sport. No longer considered luxuries by the international community, sport and physical education are indispensable tools in cultivating peace and fostering development.
On Friday, November 17, join Adolf Ogi as he presents his insights on the work of the United Nations, the Olympic Truce and Canada’s opportunity to promote peace through the hosting of the 2010 Winter Games.
About Adolf Ogi
Ogi, former president of Switzerland, was appointed to the role of Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace in February 1991. A champion for peaceful participation and the right of all children to play, Ogi has represented the Secretary General at numerous international sporting events and will provide invaluable insight on the role that sports can play to improve health and education, create employment opportunities and promote tolerance and mutual understanding.
The Olympic Truce
The idea of bringing people together on common ground, where sport serves as a path to building a culture of peace and tolerance, mutual respect and understanding has its roots in Ancient Greece.
A tradition known as the Olympic Truce began in the 9th century BC.
During the Truce period, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in total safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their respective countries.
Taking into account the existence of sport and the Olympic Games in today’s global politics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived the ancient concept of the Olympic Truce. The goal: to protect, as much as possible, the interests of the athletes and sport in general and to contribute to the search for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to world conflicts.
The Olympic Ideals
Hosted by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), this event offers a unique opportunity to gain an insider’s view
The Rocket Racing League’s Update at the Aerospace Testing Expo 2006
The Rocket Racing League, promoted as the 21st century’s newest and greatest sport, racing rocket-powered aircraft held an opening day presentation earlier today at the Aerospace Testing Expo 2006 North America. The Aerospace Design Expo is a co-located expo, and both will continue through November 16, 2006 in Anaheim.
Much media attention has been drawn to the RRL from the beginning with X Prize founder Peter Diamandis who awarded $10 million for private space flight. The vision of RRL is to advance the technology and increase public awareness of space travel. Co-founder Granger Whitelaw, a two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team partner has influenced RRL with a NASCAR-style racing league.
Rocket-powered aircraft are flown through a raceway in the sky through geospatial way points combining real and virtual worlds. Admittedly the computer-generated animation of an RRL racing event brought visions of flight simulation and video games to mind. Conceptually, audiences are able to view the races through large video screens and hand-held monitoring devices, and at home via tv or computer. A live gaming channel is planned which allows gamers to participate in online gaming alongside the actual pilots.
The RRL’s X-RACER ‘training plane’ on display is more reminiscent of experimental aircraft, yes that category for all that doesn’t fit within any other traditional categories. A prototype flight simulator is also available for viewing.
The Mark-1 X-Racer, currently under development with test flights planned winter 2006, is the vehicle scheduled to compete in late 2007. This next generation X-Racer utilizes a Velocity airframe and a single 1500-1800 pound liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket engine which can be colored for entertainment.
The service time between flights currently planned for 10 minutes points to an extended pit stop seen in NASCAR, but seems unrealistic when compared to the National Hot Rod Association’s 75 minutes between runs.
Racing is planned to begin in 2008 with 8 teams. There are currently 3 teams, the Leading Edge Racing, Bridenstein Racing and Santa Fe Racing, the first New Mexico team, announced just last month at the X-Prize Cup in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the location of the RRL’s headquarters.
The RRL has used the Red Bull Air Race World Series as a model. Red Bull Air Races focus not only on speed, but also skill with the use of light agile responsive planes as 11 pilots race low enough for people to experience close-up action through 9 international locations. Reno Air Races, the standard for air races beginning in 1964 near Reno, Nevada includes six classes of aircraft. The race aircraft in the Unlimited Class reach speeds of over 500 mph, by far the fastest-moving machines in motorsports.
Mike D’Angelo, the Vice President of Technology for the RRL, shared with the audience their desire to make sure reality lives up to the hype. We hope so, thus far it seems more concept than reality. As Sinatra would say, “Fly me to the moon, let me sing among those stars...”
Undefeated Diego 'The Nightmare' Sanchez Faces Joe 'Diesel' Riggs From Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Spike TV Wednesday, December 13 at 8:00 PM ET
First Ever UFC Fight Card on a Military Base Features the Ultimate Fighter Alums Sanchez, Josh Koscheck, Shonie Carter, and Marcus Davis
Seats to Be Auctioned Off to Benefit Families of Miramar Marines Stationed in the Middle East
Nov. 15 Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez, undefeated (18-0) and on the cusp of a welterweight title shot, faces possibly his toughest test to date against veteran UFC fighter Joe Riggs (28-8) on Spike TV's UFC Fight Night on Wednesday, December 13 at 8:00 PM ET. Also appearing on the card are The Ultimate Fighter alumni Josh Koschek, Shonie Carter and Marcus Davis. This special event will take place LIVE in an aircraft hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA, and is the first ever live UFC event on a military base.
The audience will consist solely of three thousand United States Marines stationed at Miramar, except for five (5) pairs of seats which are being auctioned off to the general public to this incredible event. This is the ONLY way non-military will be able to gain access to this UFC Fight Night. All auction proceeds will benefit the Marine Corps Community Services Quality of Life Programs for the Marines and Families, which support the health and well-being of active duty service members and their families throughout the year.
"We are holding this fight at Miramar as our way of saluting the brave men and women of the United States Military fighting oversees in the name of freedom," said UFC President Dana White and Spike TV General Manager Kevin Kay, in a joint statement.
Sanchez, fighting out of Albuquerque, NM, has defeated many of the UFC's top welterweight contenders over the eighteen months since winning the Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale over Kenny Florian in April 2005. With wins over Karo Parisyan, John Alessio, Nick Diaz, and Brian Gassaway, a victory over the battle-tested Riggs would bring him one step closer to the title shot he craves.
At 24, Joe Riggs, fighting out of Phoenix, AZ is a UFC veteran who has tangled in the Octagon with some of the UFC's best, including welterweight champion Matt Hughes at UFC 56, where Riggs was submitted in the first round. A recent victory over Jason Von Flue on Spike TV has put Riggs back in the mix of contenders for the UFC welterweight crown. Sanchez stands in his path back towards the top of the welterweight division.
MAIN EVENT Welterweight Bout Joe "Diesel" Riggs (28-8-0) VS Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez (17-0-0) 6'0"/170 lbs. 5'11"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Phoenix, AZ Fighting out of: Albuquerque, NM Co-Features Welterweight Fight Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis VS Shonie "Mr. International" Carter (13-4-0) (66-13-7) 5'10"/170 lbs. 5'9"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Bangor, ME Fighting out of: Chicago, IL Welterweight Fight Drew "The Master" Fickett (30-4-0) VS Karo "The Heat" Parisyan (23-3-0) 5'10"/170 lbs. 5'10"/169 lbs. Fighting out of: Tuscon, AZ Fighting out of: North Hollywood, CA Welterweight Bout Jeff "The Inferno" Joslin (5-2-0) VS Josh "Kos" Koscheck (8-1-0) 6'0"/170 lbs. 5'10"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Hamilton, Ontario Fighting out of: Fresno, CA Preliminary Bouts: Middleweight Bout Logan Clark(7-0-0) VS Steve Byrnes (6-0-0) 6'2"/185 lbs. 6'1"/185 lbs Fighting out of: Lake City, MN Fighting out of: Kauai, HI Welterweight Bout Keita Nakamura (13-0-2) VS Anthony "The Crush" Torres (4-0-0) 5'11"/167 lbs. 5'10"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Tokyo, Japan Fighting out of: Kailua, HI Welterweight Bout Dave "The Warrior" Menne (35-5-1) VS Luigi Fioravanti (8-1-0) 5'10"/185 lbs. 5'8"/185 lbs. Fighting out of: Forest Lake, MN Fighting out of: Orlando, FL Middleweight Bout Alan Belcher (8-2-0) VS Jorge Santiago 6'2"/185 lbs. 6'1"/185 lbs. Fighting out of: Biloxi, MS Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL Light Heavyweight Bout Victor "The Matrix" Valimaki VS David Heath 6'0"/205 lbs. 5'11"/205 lbs. Fighting out of: Edmonton, Alberta Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK
Source: Spike TV
Vancouver 2010 Board of Directors confirmed for next phase of Games planning and delivery; Jack Poole re-elected chairman November 15, 2006The Board of Directors that will guide the next phase of planning and delivering the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is now in place.
At the Annual General Meeting of the members of the Board of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today, 19 persons were confirmed as having been appointed as directors for a term that will take them through to the 2010 Annual General Meeting following the 2010 Winter Games. The term that takes the directors through to 2010 was made possible by a recent amendment to the Corporation’s (Organizing Committee) bylaws extending the term for directors from three years to four years.
The Vancouver 2010 Board is made up of 20 members appointed by: the Canadian Olympic Committee (seven); the Government of Canada (three); the Province of British Columbia (three); the City of Vancouver (two); the Resort Municipality of Whistler (two); the Canadian Paralympic Committee (one); a joint appointment by the Band Councils of the Lil'wat and Squamish Nations (one); and one member appointed by the other 19 members.
The 19 Board members appointed Jack Poole as the 20th director and re-elected him chairman, a role he has held since the board was established in October 2003.
“I thank the members for their confidence in my leadership,” said Poole. “I am honoured to serve with a team that’s dedicated to the successful staging of Canada’s 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our goal is to deliver Games that will touch all Canadians and inspire the global Olympic and Paralympic movements.”
Poole welcomed three new federal appointees who attended their first VANOC Board meeting today. The Government of Canada announced the following appointments on November 2, 2006: Peter Brown, of Vancouver, BC; Jacques Gauthier, of Montréal, Quebec; and Carol Stephenson, of London, Ontario.
“Our new board members bring dynamic experience and new perspectives as we work together to create outstanding Games in 2010,” added Poole. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all previous Board members for their dedication and guidance that brought us to this stage of the Games planning lifecycle.”
The Board announced the following committees:
AUDIT COMMITTEE:
Richard Pound
Chris Rudge
Carol Stephenson
Richard Turner (Chair)
FINANCE COMMITTEE:
Peter Brown
Ken Dobell (co-Chair, together with Annette Antoniak, President and CEO of the BC Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat)
Jim Godfrey
Gibby Jacob
Patrick Jarvis
Michael Phelps
Judy Rogers
SUSTAINABILITY & HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE:
Jacques Gauthier
Jim Godfrey (Chair)
Gibby Jacob
Jeff Mooney
Walter Sieber
Richard Turner
GOVERNANCE & ETHICS COMMITTEE:
Michael Chambers
Charmaine Crooks
Barrett Fisher
Rusty Goepel (Chair)
Patrick Jarvis
SPORT & SPORT LEGACY COMMITTEE:
Patrick Jarvis
Beckie Scott
Walter Sieber (Chair)
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Cisco Field
- A 30-34,000-seat, open-air, natural grass baseball-only facility.
- The A's and Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, have agreed to a 30-year naming rights deal on the park.
- Cisco Field will be one of the most technological sports venues in the world, with state-of-the-art technology featured throughout the ballpark and village.
- Cisco Field will be designed by 360 Architecture and Gensler. The general contracting company has not yet been selected.
Site
- Cisco Field will be located in the City of Fremont, which is in southern Alameda County. The ballpark site is approximately 20 miles to the south of McAfee Coliseum, five miles to the north of the Santa Clara County line and 12 miles from downtown San Jose.
- The 143-acre parcel, known as "Pacific Commons," is located on the west side of Interstate 880 off the Auto Mall Parkway.
- With a population of over 210,000 people and an area of 92-square miles, Fremont is the fourth most populous city in the Bay Area and California's fifth largest city in area.
Accessibility
- Cisco Field will be accessible via Interstates 880, 680 and Highway 237.
- Public transportation will be available from both the commuter train station as well as BART.
- Approximately 9.000 parking spaces will be available within a comfortable walking radius of the ballpark, approximately 500 more than is currently available at the Coliseum.
Seating
- With a seating capacity between 30-34,000, Cisco Field will be the most intimate ballpark in Major League Baseball.
- Although exact distances between the baselines and first row of seating is still to be determined, it's safe to say Cisco Field will offer fans some of the closest vantage points in all of baseball.
- Cisco Field will be designed with multiple seating "neighborhoods," including field level box seats, 66 four-person mini-suites, lower reserved seats, 41 16-person suites, rooftop box seats, outfield seats, outfield rooftop, decks, clubs and restaurant seats.
- Seats down the baseline will be angled to provide more focused views to the infield.
- Cisco Field will have a variety of suite and premium seating options, including the intimate four-person mini-suites, which will be located just 15 rows from the playing field, 16-person suites cantilevered over the lower reserved seating with access to shared club spaces; party suites available for single games as loge boxes; and terrace viewing tables with access to premium clubs.
- Cisco Field's design offers multiple locations for standing room-only areas, including along the edges of the adjacent rooftops, bars, balconies and ledges, with all locations offering dramatic and exciting views of the playing field.
Fan Comfort and Convenience
- Cisco Field will undoubtedly be one of the most technologically advanced sports venues in the country, if not the world. The possibilities to enhance the fan experience seem endless. Cisco's technology will be used to enhance every aspect of the ballpark.
- Cisco Field will offer significantly more restroom facilities than McAfee Coliseum and will be conveniently located throughout the ballpark.
- The new ballpark will be designed with a greater number and variety of concession stands and specialty food opportunities than the Coliseum.
- Concourses and Cisco Field will be wide and comfortable, designed of offer a continuous view of the playing field and connection to the game.
- The outfield concourses will be public streets that will close shortly before game time, similar to Yawkey Way outside of Fenway Park. These areas will have numerous fan amenities and interactive opportunities, along with food vendors, access to clubs and restaurants and a continuous view of the playing field.
Groundbreaking
- It is the intent of the A's and Cisco to begin groundbreaking on the ballpark as soon as possible, pending permits and approval.
- With the cooperation from local and state government, we believe the stadium will be open within 24-36 months of groundbreaking.
Project Estimated Cost
- $400-500 million, excluding land cost.
Letter From the Owner
November 14, 2006
Dear A's Fans,
Today marks the beginning of a new era in A's baseball.
It is with great excitement which I inform you the A's are purchasing a 143-acre parcel of land in the City of Fremont from Cisco Systems, with the intent of constructing a new, state-of-the-art baseball park that will become a destination attraction for fans throughout the Bay Area and beyond for generations to come.
The ballpark will be named Cisco Field as part of a 30-year naming rights agreement with one of the world's leading companies. The location of the ballpark allows us to significantly expand our fan base and take advantage of the tremendous marketing and corporate sponsorship opportunities offered in the Silicon Valley and beyond.
With the help of Cisco, 360 Architecture and Gensler, we plan to build a traditional, classic looking ballpark that will be one of the most technologically-advanced sporting venues in the world. With a seating capacity between 32-36,000, Cisco Field will be the most intimate ballpark in the Major Leagues.
Groundbreaking on the project will commence once the A's gain approval from the City of Fremont, Alameda County and other government agencies with construction time taking between 24-36 months.
When our ownership group took over control of the A's in April of 2005, our main priority was to secure a new facility to replace the Coliseum, which is no longer an acceptable Major League Baseball facility. The biggest challenge we faced was finding a piece of land that was large enough to accommodate a project this size.
Our initial focus was limited to Oakland, which has been our home since 1968. As you might remember, in August of 2005, we unveiled an ambitious plan to revitalize a 90-acre parcel of land just north of the Coliseum along the 880 corridor. It was our vision to create more than just a ballpark, but one of the next major urban centers of the Bay Area that we felt would add greatly to the economic base and community image of the City of Oakland.
Follow up discussions regarding this site with Oakland city officials unveiled insurmountable challenges, specifically relating to the existing businesses in the area. All other sites we explored in Oakland were unsuitable for a wide variety of reasons, thus we focused our attention on other sites in Alameda County and eventually came to the conclusion the Fremont site was our best option for a future ballpark site. The land was both available and attainable, it's location was well within our territorial rights as defined by Major League Baseball, and was owned by one of the world's leading companies that demonstrated interest in partnering with our organization on a naming rights agreement.
Cisco Field not only secures the A's long term future in the Bay Area, it will provide you the fans with a first class, traditional ballpark experience that will emphasize entertainment, comfort and of course, great baseball. With the help of Cisco, the technological component of the ballpark will be state-of-the-art and designed to heighten the fan experience. Cisco Field is a realization of a dream that has been shared by A's fans for many years and will be made possible due to the hard work and dedication of many. I thank you for your continued support of the A's, for your loyalty continues to be a driving force to see this project to fruition.
Sincerely,
Lew Wolff
Owner and Managing Partner
Oakland Athletics
Cisco and Athletics Announce Cisco FieldState-of-the-Art Technology to Take Fan Experience to New Level
Strategic Business Arrangement to Include Comprehensive Technology Solutions Deal, Rights to Fremont Land, and "Cisco Field" Naming Rights
November 14, 2006 -- Please note that a video has been uploaded to supplement this release. The video can be found here:
Cisco® (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, today announced a broad business, marketing and technology agreement in principle with the Oakland Athletics (A's). As a part of the deal, the A's intend to build the world's most technologically sophisticated baseball park in Fremont, Calif. to serve as the new home of the A's. The development is set to include a state-of-the-art baseball-only stadium to be named "Cisco Field," and will feature a Baseball Village complete with residential housing, restaurants, retail shops and other community attractions.
As part of this expected agreement:
-- Cisco will purchase the naming rights to the ballpark. This 30-year deal is valued at $4 million annually, with the potential for annual increases based on inflation. This naming rights agreement is transferable at any time. As a part of the naming rights deal, Cisco will be granted an undisclosed amount of guaranteed print, radio and television exposure.
-- Separate to this agreement, Cisco will sell its 143-acre parcel of land in Fremont to the A's. The land is intended to become the future site of Cisco Field and a surrounding Baseball Village development. The terms of this land transaction are not being publicly disclosed, as the deal is still subject to final negotiation.
-- Cisco will become the "Official Technology Partner of the A's and Cisco Field."
-- The A's will purchase Cisco technology to build and support the converged network of Cisco Field that will support data, voice, video and wireless services.
-- Cisco will create a Cisco Customer Solutions Center inside the ballpark to showcase how Cisco networking technology is an essential part of 21st century and other public venue operations.
-- Cisco will also have rights to utilize Cisco Field for corporate, partner and community events.
"The A's are more than just a great baseball team, they are a symbol of the Bay Area, and Cisco is proud to play a role in ensuring they continue to call it home," said Cisco President and CEO John Chambers. "Technology is changing every aspect of our life experiences and for Cisco, this is an opportunity to harness the power of our own innovative technologies to create a truly unique experience that transcends sports, connects communities and takes the fan experience to a whole new level."
This project underscores the A's commitment to creating a new standard for sports venues. As the official technology partner of the A's, Cisco will provide networking and communication products and services to transform the way that the A's team and ballpark operations will be managed. Cisco Field, when completed, will be a state-of-the-art technology showcase featuring an integrated IP network built on Cisco technology, and will be the platform for a multitude of applications that will take the fans' experience to the next level. For example, digital signs could ensure "smart" traffic flow; fans could purchase merchandise or concessions while in their seat by ordering from a mobile device, as well as onsite ticket kiosks to enable fans to upgrade seats in real-time. Luxury suites will have the opportunity to include multi-media amenities for premium video content, and Cisco TelePresence technology may even enable new forms of player-to-fan communications.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era in A's baseball in the Bay Area," said Lew Wolff, Owner and Managing Partner, Oakland Athletics. "Cisco Field will become a destination attraction that will be enjoyed by baseball fans throughout the Bay Area and beyond for generations to come. The location of the ballpark will enable us to significantly expand our market place while giving our fans a unique fan experience at what promises to be one of the most exciting venues in the country. We thank Cisco for the will and ability to make this new standard in fan and sponsor experience a reality. We have a number of rivers to cross, but once the value of what Cisco and the A's are committed to accomplish is clear to the citizens of Fremont and Alameda County, we are confident our plans will add to the economic, social and community base of the region we serve."
"This announcement of a new ball park for the Oakland Athletics ensures the long-term stability of the club in the Bay Area," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "I congratulate Lew Wolff of the Athletics and John Chambers of Cisco for developing a partnership that will benefit the community as well as the A's and Cisco. As the landscape of baseball economics has changed dramatically in recent years, the importance of new ballparks that maximize the fan experience and expand club revenues, enabling the home team to remain competitive, cannot be understated."
The transaction is subject to final negotiation of terms and conditions, and will be subject to a variety of closing conditions, including governmental approvals, site surveys and environmental reviews.
About Cisco Field
Cisco Field will be located on the west side of Interstate 880 in Fremont off of the Automall Parkway. The ballpark and village will be privately funded and will be built without the use of public funds.
The A's and Cisco intend to explore, with the city of Fremont, other ways that the ballpark village can be developed, including sports-themed attractions that reflect the diversity and interests of the Bay Area.
"Cisco intends to be aggressive in ensuring that the entire Bay Area community, particularly younger fans, have the opportunity to enjoy the A's experience. We have a vision for how to make Cisco Field the model for all sports stadiums," added Chambers.
Press Conference Details:
The A's and Cisco will hold a press conference on November 14, 2006 at 11:30 a.m. PT to discuss this agreement. The press conference can be viewed at http://newsroom.cisco.com/ciscofield/
In addition, the press conference is available via satellite from 11:00-12:30 PT, or 2:00-3:30 ET on the following satellite coordinates:
Intelsat IA5 @ 97 degrees West C-Band Transponder 14C Analog Downlink Frequency 3980MHz Downlink Polarization Horizontal Audio Subcarriers 6.2/6.8
B-roll will be available via satellite at 12:45 PT or 10 minutes after the conclusion of the press conference. A replay of the press conference, and up to date information on the progress of Cisco Field can be obtained on the A's official website: www.oaklandathletics.com.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.
San Francisco 2016 Olympic Bid Committee Forced to Withdraw From USOC Domestic Competition
Iconic International City, $23 Million Raised, Innovative Silicon Valley Companies Involved and Unprecedented Olympic Expertise: Bid Effort Derailed by News of 49er Withdrawal from Stadium Negotiations
, Nov. 13 Today, the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee announced that due to Dr. John York's recent decision to pull out from stadium negotiations with the city of San Francisco, it has been forced to withdraw from the competition to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
Since last Wednesday's announcement by Dr. York, the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee has been reviewing all options but the uncertainty created by the 49ers decision makes going forward impossible.
"Since the 49ers announcement, the question we have had to answer is, 'with the damage done to our perceived and real ability to deliver venue certainty, is it still possible to win the USOC's confidence by April 2007?' After thoroughly examining all of our options for an Olympic stadium venue, the answer, sadly, is no," said Scott Givens, Managing Director, San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee.
The San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee worked to develop the most competitive bid to give the USOC the opportunity to win on the international level. The bid's focus was on providing the athletes of the world the best competition venues and experience and to bring much needed economic development to the Bayview Hunters Point community.
Plans for the The San Francisco 2016 Bid included: -- A Village for the World(TM): An historic opportunity for the Olympic Movement to create an Olympic Village on Hunters Point Shipyard, housing all of the summer athletes for the first time at one site. This concept provided a unique opportunity for every athlete to have the chance to participate in the Opening Ceremony and would have left a legacy of affordable and mixed-income housing for the Bayview Hunters Point community. -- An intimate venue plan which placed all venues within 54 minutes of the Olympic Village and over 80% of the athletes within a 20-minute driving distance from their competition venue. Given the unique infrastructure of venues and terrain, this also provides another historic opportunity where all football matches, rowing, mountain biking, and sailing would have been played within extraordinarily close range of the Olympic Village. -- Attracted leading corporate support to the Olympic Bid (a partial listing): Yahoo!, EBay, HP, Catholic Healthcare West, Oracle, Accenture, Akin Gump, Orrick, Apple, Thelen Reid, Technology Crossover Ventures, Intel, Hellman and Freeman. -- Raised $23.25 million in pledges over three months through corporate sponsorship in cash and budget relieving services, including three $5 million dollar contributors. The San Francisco 2016 Bid would bring the local community: -- Opportunity to accelerate residential affordable housing and business development in Bayview/Hunters Point -- Opportunity for a mass transit solution by bringing additional resources to facilitate transportation infrastructure needed throughout the Bay Area and specifically to Candlestick Point and Hunters Point Shipyard. -- Opportunity to bring an estimated $10 billion of economic impact to the city and the region. -- Opportunity to bring the Olympic Games to San Francisco, one of the most beloved cities in the world. It is a city rich in Olympic character with the passion to ignite the Olympic Movement throughout the United States
The 2016 San Francisco Bid was created by over 100 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes, Olympic experts and staff, civic volunteers and consultants bringing unprecedented expertise to an Olympic and Paralympic bid.
"While very proud of our efforts of our team and our city, we respectfully withdraw from the competition to host the 2016 Olympic Games," announced Givens.
About the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee
San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee is a not-for-profit corporation, was formed to organize and develop the plans to win the right to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is responsible for all related document submissions and procedural matters related to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). To reach San Francisco 2016 or to find out how you can support for the effort, please visit www.sanfrancisco2016.org
Source: San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee
San Francisco ends 2016 bid
Nov 13
San Francisco withdrew its bid for the 2016 Olympics on Monday just days after the city's professional football team, the 49ers, said they would not build a new stadium that would have been a centerpiece of the bid.
City officials envisioned a new stadium at Candlestick Point between San Francisco's airport and business center as the venue for Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and other sporting events.
But those plans collapsed when the 49ers, the only professional team to play there, abruptly announced on Thursday that they would move the team from a famed but ageing stadium to Santa Clara in California's Silicon Valley by 2012.
"We've damaged our reputation," Scott Givens, managing director of San Francisco's 2016 Bid Committee, told reporters in announcing the withdrawal decision. "We've put our city in what we believe is an unrecoverable position.
Auto Club: Three-Month Gas Price Slide Comes to an End
November 11, 2006 -- The record-breaking slide that brought gas prices 30 percent below their all-time record has ended, with slight upturns in gas price averages over the past week in most local areas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
"After 11 straight weeks of price drops averaging more than a penny a day, prices made a U-turn this week in Southern California," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "Most other states began seeing gas prices go higher one week earlier than California, and this is the second straight week that the national gas price average has risen. Oil industry analysts say the price increase was expected sometime in November because of OPEC's decision to cut back production of crude oil. That has kept crude prices hovering around the $60 mark, making it difficult for prices at the pump to come down further."
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.417, which is 1.5 cents higher than last week, 22 cents lower than last month, and 27 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.437, 3.4 cents above last week's price, 11 cents below last month, and 27 cents below last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.671, down 2.3 cents from last week (although the price has been rising over the last couple of days), 23 cents below last month, and 12 cents lower than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.415, up 2.8 cents from last week, 17 cents below last month, and 28 cents lower than last year.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 10:
Area Regular One-week change
Record Price Los Angeles - Long Beach
2.417 +1.5 cents $3.402 (5/13/2006)
Orange County $2.368 +3.2 cents $3.371 (5/17/2006)
San Diego $2.437 +3.4 cents $3.438 (5/15/2006)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $2.671 -2.3 cents $3.491 (5/16/2006)
Riverside - San Bernardino $2.415 +2.8 cents $3.445 (5/15/2006)
Bakersfield $2.462 +0.5 cents $3.450 (5/16/2006)
Las Vegas, NV $2.363 No change $3.176 (5/17/2006)
Yahoo! Autos to Set First Ever Attempt Land Speed Record With Grease-Powered Vehicle
What Is a Greasel... and How Fast Will It Go?
Record-Attempt Is the First for a Diesel Vehicle Powered on Regular Cooking Oil
November 10, 2006 --
What is a Greasel? If you happen to be driving an SUV, truck or car that runs on diesel,
there is hope out there and it might come from a vat of french fries.
Current testing using WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) filtered and prepared
for internal combustion systems are currently being used on diesel engines
as an alternative for gas and diesel fuel. So, instead of gasoline or diesel
powered vehicle, think french fry or peanut oil for fuel. Now imagine
yourself stuck in traffic. What would be your choice: the smell of diesel
or peanut butter and french fries?
So, how fast can a Greasel go?
Yahoo! Autos will attempt to set a land speed record with a 3,000 HP,
6-cylinder, twin turbo, grease-powered diesel on Sunday,
November 12, 2006 at the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed near
Victorville, Ca. Yahoo! will be attempting to get the Greasel car up
to speeds of 160-200mph (Final MPH to be announced Sunday).
The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) sanctioned
record-attempt is the first for a diesel vehicle powered on regular
cooking oil. The two-day SCTA event running Saturday and Sunday
will culminate with the land speed record attempt and is the last
land speed-racing event of the year. The event celebrates the launch
of the Yahoo! Autos Green Center (http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center)
-- the most comprehensive source for all things related to alternative fuels.
Richmond Oval construction on target for 2008 opening
Richmond Oval construction on target for 2008 opening
Information regarding services, remembrances, etc will be posted as soon as available
Auto Club: Gas Prices Up for Thanksgiving Travelers
November 22, 2006 -- Travelers heading into the holiday weekend will see the third straight week of price increases at the pump, but will still pay about the same amount for their Thanksgiving driving trips as they did this time last year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.489, which is three cents higher than last week, two cents lower than last month, and three cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.538, 3.2 cents above last week's price, seven cents above last month, and less than half a cent below last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.749, up 4.2 cents from last week, three cents below last month, and ten cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.494, up 2.1 cents from last week, two cents higher than last month, and five cents higher than last year.
"Heading into this weekend, oil industry analysts have noted some wild fluctuations in both wholesale gasoline and crude oil prices, but they can't point to any single factor that caused these jumps," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "If the market settles down quickly after Thanksgiving, prices at the pump should not be affected long-term."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 22:
Record Price Los Angeles–Long Beach $2.489 +3.0 cents $3.402 (5/13/2006)\
Orange County $2.444 +3.2 cents $3.371 (5/17/2006)
San Diego $2.538 +3.2 cents $3.438 (5/15/2006)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $2.749 +4.2 cents $3.491 (5/16/2006)
Riverside–San Bernardino $2.494 +2.1 cents $3.445 (5/15/2006)
Bakersfield $2.547 +3.1 cents $3.450 (5/16/2006)
Las Vegas, NV $2.461 +2.1 cents $3.176 (5/17/2006)
VANOC congratulates Alberta government for investing in Canadian athletes and Western Canadian sport infrastructure for 2010 Games and beyond
VANOC has long supported CODA’s vision for this project, recognizing the enormous impact the existing Calgary 1988 Winter Games facilities have already made to the Canadian winter sport delivery model – and the significant value-added benefit a Centre of Sport Excellence will offer Canadian athletes as they prepare to excel at the 2010 Winter Games.
“This investment by the Government of Alberta will contribute significantly to furthering the important legacy of the Calgary 1988 Games,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “It will also profoundly strengthen the ties between the Calgary, Canmore, Vancouver and Whistler communities, and will give our Canadian athletes the ultimate advantage as they work to Own the Podium in 2010.”
Indeed, in August of this year, VANOC provided a letter of support to CODA, in which Furlong stated: “It is my belief the road to Vancouver must go through Alberta if we are to achieve our collective goal of Canada finishing number one at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With Canada Olympic Park serving as the hub, the Centre of Sport Excellence in Alberta will assist in providing Canadian athletes with the resources and competitive advantage needed to be the best in the world.”
Cathy Priestner Allinger, executive vice president, sport, Paralympic Games and venue management for VANOC, underscored the importance of such investments for Canada’s high-performance athletes, and the next generation of Canada’s medal winners. “Investing in a Centre of Sport Excellence, and the facilities that constitute its makeup, is a win-win for us all in Western Canada. It ensures our training and competition facilities remain world class, while giving our athletes an important and very real edge on the field of play.”
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Full details on the Own the Podium 2010 program are available at www.ownthepodium2010.com.
Thanksgiving Travel in Southern California Will Increase by 2.5 Percent, Says Auto Club
November 20, 2006 -- More than 2.97 million Southern Californians are expected to travel over this Thanksgiving holiday weekend -- a 2.5 percent increase over last year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Of those, nearly 2.4 million -- or 80 percent of Southland travelers -- will drive, while nearly 429,000 will fly and 148,000 will go by other means. Car travel is expected to be 2.5 percent higher than this time last year, while air travel is projected to increase by 2.9 percent.
Statewide, the Auto Club expects 4.75 million Californians to take Thanksgiving trips -- also a 2.5 percent increase compared to the 4.64 million who traveled during the holiday weekend in 2005. More than 3.83 million statewide are expected to travel by car and 687,000 will fly.
Nationally, holiday travel is expected to increase by 2.7 percent compared to last year, with 38.3 million Americans projected to make getaways of 50 miles or more. Nearly 83 percent of travelers nationwide -- or 31.7 million -- will drive, and 4.8 million will go by airplane.
"The Transportation Security Administration is expecting extra-long lines at airports this Thanksgiving because many people will be traveling for the first time since the new carry-on restrictions on liquid items were imposed," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "If you're traveling by plane this holiday, make sure you arrive at the airport at least two to three hours early."
For details on items allowed and banned in both check-in and carry-on luggage, travelers should contact their travel agent or visit www.tsa.gov.
The top five destinations for Southern California travelers, according to a survey of the Auto Club's AAA Travel agents, are:
1) Las Vegas 2) Mexico (driving, air and cruise trips) 3) San Diego 4) Grand Canyon 5) Hawaii
Gas prices in most California regions over this holiday are expected to be similar to the prices that Thanksgiving travelers paid last year -- between $2.40 and $2.50 a gallon in most areas. For every other holiday weekend this year, travelers were paying more than $3 a gallon for gas.
Auto Club statistics for holiday travel are based on research conducted for AAA by the Travel Industry Association.
Seeing the hundreds of thousands of fans along the Swan River was an
incredible experience, especially from the sky."
"Winning the Red Bull Air Race World Series has become my crowning
achievement", said Chambliss. "There's just no other series like it in
aviation sport."
Besenyei finished in 02:39.78, followed by Bonhomme (02:40.37) and
Chambliss (02:42.24). It was Besenyei's second win of the season after his first
place finish in Barcelona in May.
Flying just metres above the water and under a clear blue sky, the
pilots flew at speeds of over 400kph while negotiating a series of inflatable
'air gates' in front of the cheering crowds. It was an outstanding end to an
exciting season that has attracted and thrilled more than 6 million
spectators worldwide to watch eleven of the world's best race pilots
compete in challenging, high-speed and one-of-a-kind courses.
“The Richmond Oval will be a world class facility and the premier legacy of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “We can’t wait to see to see Canada’s next Olympic champions step to the top of the podium in Richmond Oval and listen to O Canada while our flag flies high. We’re just as excited about the generations of Richmond residents who will come to the Oval to take advantage of its outstanding services for sports and wellness or to take part in the many community, cultural and special events that will be held here.”
The Governments of Canada and British Columbia have each committed $30 million toward construction of the Richmond Oval, as part of their overall commitment to the venues budget for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The City of Richmond is responsible for additional project funding. Total budget of the Oval and related projects, including the waterfront park and plaza and parking structure, is $178 million.
The Richmond Oval will be home of the long track speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, with a 400-metre track and seating for approximately 8,000 spectators. The Richmond Oval is expected to be home of up to 12 medal events in 2010, with a potential 36 medals to be awarded.
“The Richmond Oval will be a signature venue for the 2010 Winter Games and will serve as a stage for countless Olympic moments that will inspire the country and the world,” said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “We’re excited about today’s construction milestone and look forward to continued progress as we anticipate the arrival of Canadian athletes in 2008.”
During the next two years, more than 1.1 million cubic feet of concrete, 5.6 million kilograms of steel rebar and one million board feet of lumber will go into completing the mammoth 33,650 square metre Richmond Oval.
The Richmond Oval is on target for its scheduled opening in the fall of 2008. In addition, approximately 55 per cent of the construction trade tenders have now been awarded and the
project remains within its $178 million budget. Most of the remaining construction tenders will be awarded within the next month and current projections continue to indicate they will also fall within budget estimates.
Post-Games, the Oval will become BC’s premier multi-purpose sports, recreation and wellness facility. The project also includes the creation of a new international destination and meeting place. The Oval, along with an adjoining waterfront plaza and park, will be the centre piece of a major new City Centre community to be developed on 32 acres along the banks of the Fraser River.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Cypress Mountain freestyle venue competition-ready for 2010 Winter Games
This marks a significant achievement for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) – an achievement celebrated by VANOC executives and numerous invited guests. Also taking part in commemorating this special occasion were distinguished freestyle athletes Kristi Richards (Canadian World Cup Mogul Team/Torino 2006 Games) and Steve Omischl (Canadian World Cup Aerial Team/2005 World Champion/Torino 2006 Games/Salt Lake City 2002 Games).
"Early completion of our competition sites is a cornerstone of the Vancouver 2010 venue development program," said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. "The sooner our venues are ready, the sooner our athletes will have access to the sites to enhance their chances of podium success in 2010. We started our venue construction as early as possible and are delighted to recognize this milestone, marking the first in a series of completed venues that will offer both meaningful and lasting legacies to our community.”
Cypress Mountain will serve as the venue for four freestyle skiing events, including men’s and women’s aerials and moguls, and six snowboard events: men’s and women’s parallel giant slalom, halfpipe and snowboard cross (provisional).
VANOC’s budget for the freestyle and snowboard site is $14.6 million, jointly funded by both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia as part of VANOC’s $580 million construction budget. The construction process began in May 2006 following a comprehensive environmental review.
Key partners at the ceremony included Linda Swain, Cypress Mountain General Manager; District of West Vancouver Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones; James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary for the Asia Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics and Member of Parliament (Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam), representing the Government of Canada; Joan McIntyre, MLA West Vancouver—Garibaldi, representing the Government of British Columbia; and John Furlong, Vancouver 2010 CEO.
As one of the most popular winter destination areas in BC, Cypress Mountain attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The 2010 Winter Games upgrades will enhance the Cypress experience for both recreational and competitive users, providing a legacy for sport development while creating lasting benefits for communities for years to come.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Promoting Peace and Tolerance Through Sport
On Friday, November 17, join Adolf Ogi as he presents his insights on the work of the United Nations, the Olympic Truce and Canada’s opportunity to promote peace through the hosting of the 2010 Winter Games.
About Adolf Ogi
Ogi, former president of Switzerland, was appointed to the role of Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace in February 1991. A champion for peaceful participation and the right of all children to play, Ogi has represented the Secretary General at numerous international sporting events and will provide invaluable insight on the role that sports can play to improve health and education, create employment opportunities and promote tolerance and mutual understanding.
The Olympic Truce
The idea of bringing people together on common ground, where sport serves as a path to building a culture of peace and tolerance, mutual respect and understanding has its roots in Ancient Greece.
A tradition known as the Olympic Truce began in the 9th century BC.
During the Truce period, the athletes, artists and their families, as well as ordinary pilgrims, could travel in total safety to participate in or attend the Olympic Games and return afterwards to their respective countries.
Taking into account the existence of sport and the Olympic Games in today’s global politics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived the ancient concept of the Olympic Truce. The goal: to protect, as much as possible, the interests of the athletes and sport in general and to contribute to the search for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to world conflicts.
The Olympic Ideals
Hosted by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), this event offers a unique opportunity to gain an insider’s view
The Rocket Racing League’s Update at the Aerospace Testing Expo 2006
The Rocket Racing League, promoted as the 21st century’s newest and greatest sport, racing rocket-powered aircraft held an opening day presentation earlier today at the Aerospace Testing Expo 2006 North America. The Aerospace Design Expo is a co-located expo, and both will continue through November 16, 2006 in Anaheim.
Much media attention has been drawn to the RRL from the beginning with X Prize founder Peter Diamandis who awarded $10 million for private space flight. The vision of RRL is to advance the technology and increase public awareness of space travel. Co-founder Granger Whitelaw, a two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team partner has influenced RRL with a NASCAR-style racing league.
Rocket-powered aircraft are flown through a raceway in the sky through geospatial way points combining real and virtual worlds. Admittedly the computer-generated animation of an RRL racing event brought visions of flight simulation and video games to mind. Conceptually, audiences are able to view the races through large video screens and hand-held monitoring devices, and at home via tv or computer. A live gaming channel is planned which allows gamers to participate in online gaming alongside the actual pilots.
The RRL’s X-RACER ‘training plane’ on display is more reminiscent of experimental aircraft, yes that category for all that doesn’t fit within any other traditional categories. A prototype flight simulator is also available for viewing.
The Mark-1 X-Racer, currently under development with test flights planned winter 2006, is the vehicle scheduled to compete in late 2007. This next generation X-Racer utilizes a Velocity airframe and a single 1500-1800 pound liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket engine which can be colored for entertainment.
The service time between flights currently planned for 10 minutes points to an extended pit stop seen in NASCAR, but seems unrealistic when compared to the National Hot Rod Association’s 75 minutes between runs.
Racing is planned to begin in 2008 with 8 teams. There are currently 3 teams, the Leading Edge Racing, Bridenstein Racing and Santa Fe Racing, the first New Mexico team, announced just last month at the X-Prize Cup in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the location of the RRL’s headquarters.
The RRL has used the Red Bull Air Race World Series as a model. Red Bull Air Races focus not only on speed, but also skill with the use of light agile responsive planes as 11 pilots race low enough for people to experience close-up action through 9 international locations. Reno Air Races, the standard for air races beginning in 1964 near Reno, Nevada includes six classes of aircraft. The race aircraft in the Unlimited Class reach speeds of over 500 mph, by far the fastest-moving machines in motorsports.
Mike D’Angelo, the Vice President of Technology for the RRL, shared with the audience their desire to make sure reality lives up to the hype. We hope so, thus far it seems more concept than reality. As Sinatra would say, “Fly me to the moon, let me sing among those stars...”
Undefeated Diego 'The Nightmare' Sanchez Faces Joe 'Diesel' Riggs From Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Spike TV Wednesday, December 13 at 8:00 PM ET
First Ever UFC Fight Card on a Military Base Features the Ultimate Fighter Alums Sanchez, Josh Koscheck, Shonie Carter, and Marcus Davis
Seats to Be Auctioned Off to Benefit Families of Miramar Marines Stationed in the Middle East
Nov. 15 Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez, undefeated (18-0) and on the cusp of a welterweight title shot, faces possibly his toughest test to date against veteran UFC fighter Joe Riggs (28-8) on Spike TV's UFC Fight Night on Wednesday, December 13 at 8:00 PM ET. Also appearing on the card are The Ultimate Fighter alumni Josh Koschek, Shonie Carter and Marcus Davis. This special event will take place LIVE in an aircraft hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA, and is the first ever live UFC event on a military base.
The audience will consist solely of three thousand United States Marines stationed at Miramar, except for five (5) pairs of seats which are being auctioned off to the general public to this incredible event. This is the ONLY way non-military will be able to gain access to this UFC Fight Night. All auction proceeds will benefit the Marine Corps Community Services Quality of Life Programs for the Marines and Families, which support the health and well-being of active duty service members and their families throughout the year.
"We are holding this fight at Miramar as our way of saluting the brave men and women of the United States Military fighting oversees in the name of freedom," said UFC President Dana White and Spike TV General Manager Kevin Kay, in a joint statement.
Sanchez, fighting out of Albuquerque, NM, has defeated many of the UFC's top welterweight contenders over the eighteen months since winning the Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale over Kenny Florian in April 2005. With wins over Karo Parisyan, John Alessio, Nick Diaz, and Brian Gassaway, a victory over the battle-tested Riggs would bring him one step closer to the title shot he craves.
At 24, Joe Riggs, fighting out of Phoenix, AZ is a UFC veteran who has tangled in the Octagon with some of the UFC's best, including welterweight champion Matt Hughes at UFC 56, where Riggs was submitted in the first round. A recent victory over Jason Von Flue on Spike TV has put Riggs back in the mix of contenders for the UFC welterweight crown. Sanchez stands in his path back towards the top of the welterweight division.
MAIN EVENT Welterweight Bout Joe "Diesel" Riggs (28-8-0) VS Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez (17-0-0) 6'0"/170 lbs. 5'11"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Phoenix, AZ Fighting out of: Albuquerque, NM Co-Features Welterweight Fight Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis VS Shonie "Mr. International" Carter (13-4-0) (66-13-7) 5'10"/170 lbs. 5'9"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Bangor, ME Fighting out of: Chicago, IL Welterweight Fight Drew "The Master" Fickett (30-4-0) VS Karo "The Heat" Parisyan (23-3-0) 5'10"/170 lbs. 5'10"/169 lbs. Fighting out of: Tuscon, AZ Fighting out of: North Hollywood, CA Welterweight Bout Jeff "The Inferno" Joslin (5-2-0) VS Josh "Kos" Koscheck (8-1-0) 6'0"/170 lbs. 5'10"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Hamilton, Ontario Fighting out of: Fresno, CA Preliminary Bouts: Middleweight Bout Logan Clark(7-0-0) VS Steve Byrnes (6-0-0) 6'2"/185 lbs. 6'1"/185 lbs Fighting out of: Lake City, MN Fighting out of: Kauai, HI Welterweight Bout Keita Nakamura (13-0-2) VS Anthony "The Crush" Torres (4-0-0) 5'11"/167 lbs. 5'10"/170 lbs. Fighting out of: Tokyo, Japan Fighting out of: Kailua, HI Welterweight Bout Dave "The Warrior" Menne (35-5-1) VS Luigi Fioravanti (8-1-0) 5'10"/185 lbs. 5'8"/185 lbs. Fighting out of: Forest Lake, MN Fighting out of: Orlando, FL Middleweight Bout Alan Belcher (8-2-0) VS Jorge Santiago 6'2"/185 lbs. 6'1"/185 lbs. Fighting out of: Biloxi, MS Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL Light Heavyweight Bout Victor "The Matrix" Valimaki VS David Heath 6'0"/205 lbs. 5'11"/205 lbs. Fighting out of: Edmonton, Alberta Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK
Source: Spike TV
At the Annual General Meeting of the members of the Board of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today, 19 persons were confirmed as having been appointed as directors for a term that will take them through to the 2010 Annual General Meeting following the 2010 Winter Games. The term that takes the directors through to 2010 was made possible by a recent amendment to the Corporation’s (Organizing Committee) bylaws extending the term for directors from three years to four years.
The Vancouver 2010 Board is made up of 20 members appointed by: the Canadian Olympic Committee (seven); the Government of Canada (three); the Province of British Columbia (three); the City of Vancouver (two); the Resort Municipality of Whistler (two); the Canadian Paralympic Committee (one); a joint appointment by the Band Councils of the Lil'wat and Squamish Nations (one); and one member appointed by the other 19 members.
The 19 Board members appointed Jack Poole as the 20th director and re-elected him chairman, a role he has held since the board was established in October 2003.
“I thank the members for their confidence in my leadership,” said Poole. “I am honoured to serve with a team that’s dedicated to the successful staging of Canada’s 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our goal is to deliver Games that will touch all Canadians and inspire the global Olympic and Paralympic movements.”
Poole welcomed three new federal appointees who attended their first VANOC Board meeting today. The Government of Canada announced the following appointments on November 2, 2006: Peter Brown, of Vancouver, BC; Jacques Gauthier, of Montréal, Quebec; and Carol Stephenson, of London, Ontario.
“Our new board members bring dynamic experience and new perspectives as we work together to create outstanding Games in 2010,” added Poole. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all previous Board members for their dedication and guidance that brought us to this stage of the Games planning lifecycle.”
The Board announced the following committees:
AUDIT COMMITTEE:
Richard Pound
Chris Rudge
Carol Stephenson
Richard Turner (Chair)
FINANCE COMMITTEE:
Peter Brown
Ken Dobell (co-Chair, together with Annette Antoniak, President and CEO of the BC Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat)
Jim Godfrey
Gibby Jacob
Patrick Jarvis
Michael Phelps
Judy Rogers
SUSTAINABILITY & HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE:
Jacques Gauthier
Jim Godfrey (Chair)
Gibby Jacob
Jeff Mooney
Walter Sieber
Richard Turner
GOVERNANCE & ETHICS COMMITTEE:
Michael Chambers
Charmaine Crooks
Barrett Fisher
Rusty Goepel (Chair)
Patrick Jarvis
SPORT & SPORT LEGACY COMMITTEE:
Patrick Jarvis
Beckie Scott
Walter Sieber (Chair)
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Cisco Field
- A 30-34,000-seat, open-air, natural grass baseball-only facility.
- The A's and Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, have agreed to a 30-year naming rights deal on the park.
- Cisco Field will be one of the most technological sports venues in the world, with state-of-the-art technology featured throughout the ballpark and village.
- Cisco Field will be designed by 360 Architecture and Gensler. The general contracting company has not yet been selected.
Site
- Cisco Field will be located in the City of Fremont, which is in southern Alameda County. The ballpark site is approximately 20 miles to the south of McAfee Coliseum, five miles to the north of the Santa Clara County line and 12 miles from downtown San Jose.
- The 143-acre parcel, known as "Pacific Commons," is located on the west side of Interstate 880 off the Auto Mall Parkway.
- With a population of over 210,000 people and an area of 92-square miles, Fremont is the fourth most populous city in the Bay Area and California's fifth largest city in area.
Accessibility
- Cisco Field will be accessible via Interstates 880, 680 and Highway 237.
- Public transportation will be available from both the commuter train station as well as BART.
- Approximately 9.000 parking spaces will be available within a comfortable walking radius of the ballpark, approximately 500 more than is currently available at the Coliseum.
Seating
- With a seating capacity between 30-34,000, Cisco Field will be the most intimate ballpark in Major League Baseball.
- Although exact distances between the baselines and first row of seating is still to be determined, it's safe to say Cisco Field will offer fans some of the closest vantage points in all of baseball.
- Cisco Field will be designed with multiple seating "neighborhoods," including field level box seats, 66 four-person mini-suites, lower reserved seats, 41 16-person suites, rooftop box seats, outfield seats, outfield rooftop, decks, clubs and restaurant seats.
- Seats down the baseline will be angled to provide more focused views to the infield.
- Cisco Field will have a variety of suite and premium seating options, including the intimate four-person mini-suites, which will be located just 15 rows from the playing field, 16-person suites cantilevered over the lower reserved seating with access to shared club spaces; party suites available for single games as loge boxes; and terrace viewing tables with access to premium clubs.
- Cisco Field's design offers multiple locations for standing room-only areas, including along the edges of the adjacent rooftops, bars, balconies and ledges, with all locations offering dramatic and exciting views of the playing field.
Fan Comfort and Convenience
- Cisco Field will undoubtedly be one of the most technologically advanced sports venues in the country, if not the world. The possibilities to enhance the fan experience seem endless. Cisco's technology will be used to enhance every aspect of the ballpark.
- Cisco Field will offer significantly more restroom facilities than McAfee Coliseum and will be conveniently located throughout the ballpark.
- The new ballpark will be designed with a greater number and variety of concession stands and specialty food opportunities than the Coliseum.
- Concourses and Cisco Field will be wide and comfortable, designed of offer a continuous view of the playing field and connection to the game.
- The outfield concourses will be public streets that will close shortly before game time, similar to Yawkey Way outside of Fenway Park. These areas will have numerous fan amenities and interactive opportunities, along with food vendors, access to clubs and restaurants and a continuous view of the playing field.
Groundbreaking
- It is the intent of the A's and Cisco to begin groundbreaking on the ballpark as soon as possible, pending permits and approval.
- With the cooperation from local and state government, we believe the stadium will be open within 24-36 months of groundbreaking.
Project Estimated Cost
- $400-500 million, excluding land cost.
November 14, 2006
Dear A's Fans,
Today marks the beginning of a new era in A's baseball.
It is with great excitement which I inform you the A's are purchasing a 143-acre parcel of land in the City of Fremont from Cisco Systems, with the intent of constructing a new, state-of-the-art baseball park that will become a destination attraction for fans throughout the Bay Area and beyond for generations to come.
The ballpark will be named Cisco Field as part of a 30-year naming rights agreement with one of the world's leading companies. The location of the ballpark allows us to significantly expand our fan base and take advantage of the tremendous marketing and corporate sponsorship opportunities offered in the Silicon Valley and beyond.
With the help of Cisco, 360 Architecture and Gensler, we plan to build a traditional, classic looking ballpark that will be one of the most technologically-advanced sporting venues in the world. With a seating capacity between 32-36,000, Cisco Field will be the most intimate ballpark in the Major Leagues.
Groundbreaking on the project will commence once the A's gain approval from the City of Fremont, Alameda County and other government agencies with construction time taking between 24-36 months.
When our ownership group took over control of the A's in April of 2005, our main priority was to secure a new facility to replace the Coliseum, which is no longer an acceptable Major League Baseball facility. The biggest challenge we faced was finding a piece of land that was large enough to accommodate a project this size.
Our initial focus was limited to Oakland, which has been our home since 1968. As you might remember, in August of 2005, we unveiled an ambitious plan to revitalize a 90-acre parcel of land just north of the Coliseum along the 880 corridor. It was our vision to create more than just a ballpark, but one of the next major urban centers of the Bay Area that we felt would add greatly to the economic base and community image of the City of Oakland.
Follow up discussions regarding this site with Oakland city officials unveiled insurmountable challenges, specifically relating to the existing businesses in the area. All other sites we explored in Oakland were unsuitable for a wide variety of reasons, thus we focused our attention on other sites in Alameda County and eventually came to the conclusion the Fremont site was our best option for a future ballpark site. The land was both available and attainable, it's location was well within our territorial rights as defined by Major League Baseball, and was owned by one of the world's leading companies that demonstrated interest in partnering with our organization on a naming rights agreement.
Cisco Field not only secures the A's long term future in the Bay Area, it will provide you the fans with a first class, traditional ballpark experience that will emphasize entertainment, comfort and of course, great baseball. With the help of Cisco, the technological component of the ballpark will be state-of-the-art and designed to heighten the fan experience. Cisco Field is a realization of a dream that has been shared by A's fans for many years and will be made possible due to the hard work and dedication of many. I thank you for your continued support of the A's, for your loyalty continues to be a driving force to see this project to fruition.
Sincerely,
Lew Wolff
Owner and Managing Partner
Oakland Athletics
Cisco and Athletics Announce Cisco FieldState-of-the-Art Technology to Take Fan Experience to New Level
Strategic Business Arrangement to Include Comprehensive Technology Solutions Deal, Rights to Fremont Land, and "Cisco Field" Naming Rights
November 14, 2006 -- Please note that a video has been uploaded to supplement this release. The video can be found here:
Cisco® (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, today announced a broad business, marketing and technology agreement in principle with the Oakland Athletics (A's). As a part of the deal, the A's intend to build the world's most technologically sophisticated baseball park in Fremont, Calif. to serve as the new home of the A's. The development is set to include a state-of-the-art baseball-only stadium to be named "Cisco Field," and will feature a Baseball Village complete with residential housing, restaurants, retail shops and other community attractions.
As part of this expected agreement:
-- Cisco will purchase the naming rights to the ballpark. This 30-year deal is valued at $4 million annually, with the potential for annual increases based on inflation. This naming rights agreement is transferable at any time. As a part of the naming rights deal, Cisco will be granted an undisclosed amount of guaranteed print, radio and television exposure.
-- Separate to this agreement, Cisco will sell its 143-acre parcel of land in Fremont to the A's. The land is intended to become the future site of Cisco Field and a surrounding Baseball Village development. The terms of this land transaction are not being publicly disclosed, as the deal is still subject to final negotiation.
-- Cisco will become the "Official Technology Partner of the A's and Cisco Field."
-- The A's will purchase Cisco technology to build and support the converged network of Cisco Field that will support data, voice, video and wireless services.
-- Cisco will create a Cisco Customer Solutions Center inside the ballpark to showcase how Cisco networking technology is an essential part of 21st century and other public venue operations.
-- Cisco will also have rights to utilize Cisco Field for corporate, partner and community events.
"The A's are more than just a great baseball team, they are a symbol of the Bay Area, and Cisco is proud to play a role in ensuring they continue to call it home," said Cisco President and CEO John Chambers. "Technology is changing every aspect of our life experiences and for Cisco, this is an opportunity to harness the power of our own innovative technologies to create a truly unique experience that transcends sports, connects communities and takes the fan experience to a whole new level."
This project underscores the A's commitment to creating a new standard for sports venues. As the official technology partner of the A's, Cisco will provide networking and communication products and services to transform the way that the A's team and ballpark operations will be managed. Cisco Field, when completed, will be a state-of-the-art technology showcase featuring an integrated IP network built on Cisco technology, and will be the platform for a multitude of applications that will take the fans' experience to the next level. For example, digital signs could ensure "smart" traffic flow; fans could purchase merchandise or concessions while in their seat by ordering from a mobile device, as well as onsite ticket kiosks to enable fans to upgrade seats in real-time. Luxury suites will have the opportunity to include multi-media amenities for premium video content, and Cisco TelePresence technology may even enable new forms of player-to-fan communications.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era in A's baseball in the Bay Area," said Lew Wolff, Owner and Managing Partner, Oakland Athletics. "Cisco Field will become a destination attraction that will be enjoyed by baseball fans throughout the Bay Area and beyond for generations to come. The location of the ballpark will enable us to significantly expand our market place while giving our fans a unique fan experience at what promises to be one of the most exciting venues in the country. We thank Cisco for the will and ability to make this new standard in fan and sponsor experience a reality. We have a number of rivers to cross, but once the value of what Cisco and the A's are committed to accomplish is clear to the citizens of Fremont and Alameda County, we are confident our plans will add to the economic, social and community base of the region we serve."
"This announcement of a new ball park for the Oakland Athletics ensures the long-term stability of the club in the Bay Area," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "I congratulate Lew Wolff of the Athletics and John Chambers of Cisco for developing a partnership that will benefit the community as well as the A's and Cisco. As the landscape of baseball economics has changed dramatically in recent years, the importance of new ballparks that maximize the fan experience and expand club revenues, enabling the home team to remain competitive, cannot be understated."
The transaction is subject to final negotiation of terms and conditions, and will be subject to a variety of closing conditions, including governmental approvals, site surveys and environmental reviews.
About Cisco Field
Cisco Field will be located on the west side of Interstate 880 in Fremont off of the Automall Parkway. The ballpark and village will be privately funded and will be built without the use of public funds.
The A's and Cisco intend to explore, with the city of Fremont, other ways that the ballpark village can be developed, including sports-themed attractions that reflect the diversity and interests of the Bay Area.
"Cisco intends to be aggressive in ensuring that the entire Bay Area community, particularly younger fans, have the opportunity to enjoy the A's experience. We have a vision for how to make Cisco Field the model for all sports stadiums," added Chambers.
Press Conference Details:
The A's and Cisco will hold a press conference on November 14, 2006 at 11:30 a.m. PT to discuss this agreement. The press conference can be viewed at http://newsroom.cisco.com/ciscofield/
In addition, the press conference is available via satellite from 11:00-12:30 PT, or 2:00-3:30 ET on the following satellite coordinates:
Intelsat IA5 @ 97 degrees West C-Band Transponder 14C Analog Downlink Frequency 3980MHz Downlink Polarization Horizontal Audio Subcarriers 6.2/6.8
B-roll will be available via satellite at 12:45 PT or 10 minutes after the conclusion of the press conference. A replay of the press conference, and up to date information on the progress of Cisco Field can be obtained on the A's official website: www.oaklandathletics.com.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.
San Francisco 2016 Olympic Bid Committee Forced to Withdraw From USOC Domestic Competition
Iconic International City, $23 Million Raised, Innovative Silicon Valley Companies Involved and Unprecedented Olympic Expertise: Bid Effort Derailed by News of 49er Withdrawal from Stadium Negotiations
, Nov. 13 Today, the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee announced that due to Dr. John York's recent decision to pull out from stadium negotiations with the city of San Francisco, it has been forced to withdraw from the competition to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
Since last Wednesday's announcement by Dr. York, the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee has been reviewing all options but the uncertainty created by the 49ers decision makes going forward impossible.
"Since the 49ers announcement, the question we have had to answer is, 'with the damage done to our perceived and real ability to deliver venue certainty, is it still possible to win the USOC's confidence by April 2007?' After thoroughly examining all of our options for an Olympic stadium venue, the answer, sadly, is no," said Scott Givens, Managing Director, San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee.
The San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee worked to develop the most competitive bid to give the USOC the opportunity to win on the international level. The bid's focus was on providing the athletes of the world the best competition venues and experience and to bring much needed economic development to the Bayview Hunters Point community.
Plans for the The San Francisco 2016 Bid included: -- A Village for the World(TM): An historic opportunity for the Olympic Movement to create an Olympic Village on Hunters Point Shipyard, housing all of the summer athletes for the first time at one site. This concept provided a unique opportunity for every athlete to have the chance to participate in the Opening Ceremony and would have left a legacy of affordable and mixed-income housing for the Bayview Hunters Point community. -- An intimate venue plan which placed all venues within 54 minutes of the Olympic Village and over 80% of the athletes within a 20-minute driving distance from their competition venue. Given the unique infrastructure of venues and terrain, this also provides another historic opportunity where all football matches, rowing, mountain biking, and sailing would have been played within extraordinarily close range of the Olympic Village. -- Attracted leading corporate support to the Olympic Bid (a partial listing): Yahoo!, EBay, HP, Catholic Healthcare West, Oracle, Accenture, Akin Gump, Orrick, Apple, Thelen Reid, Technology Crossover Ventures, Intel, Hellman and Freeman. -- Raised $23.25 million in pledges over three months through corporate sponsorship in cash and budget relieving services, including three $5 million dollar contributors. The San Francisco 2016 Bid would bring the local community: -- Opportunity to accelerate residential affordable housing and business development in Bayview/Hunters Point -- Opportunity for a mass transit solution by bringing additional resources to facilitate transportation infrastructure needed throughout the Bay Area and specifically to Candlestick Point and Hunters Point Shipyard. -- Opportunity to bring an estimated $10 billion of economic impact to the city and the region. -- Opportunity to bring the Olympic Games to San Francisco, one of the most beloved cities in the world. It is a city rich in Olympic character with the passion to ignite the Olympic Movement throughout the United States
The 2016 San Francisco Bid was created by over 100 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes, Olympic experts and staff, civic volunteers and consultants bringing unprecedented expertise to an Olympic and Paralympic bid.
"While very proud of our efforts of our team and our city, we respectfully withdraw from the competition to host the 2016 Olympic Games," announced Givens.
About the San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee
San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee is a not-for-profit corporation, was formed to organize and develop the plans to win the right to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is responsible for all related document submissions and procedural matters related to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). To reach San Francisco 2016 or to find out how you can support for the effort, please visit www.sanfrancisco2016.org
Source: San Francisco 2016 Bid Committee
San Francisco ends 2016 bid Nov 13 |
San Francisco withdrew its bid for the 2016 Olympics on Monday just days after the city's professional football team, the 49ers, said they would not build a new stadium that would have been a centerpiece of the bid. City officials envisioned a new stadium at Candlestick Point between San Francisco's airport and business center as the venue for Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and other sporting events. But those plans collapsed when the 49ers, the only professional team to play there, abruptly announced on Thursday that they would move the team from a famed but ageing stadium to Santa Clara in California's Silicon Valley by 2012.
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"We've damaged our reputation," Scott Givens, managing director of San Francisco's 2016 Bid Committee, told reporters in announcing the withdrawal decision. "We've put our city in what we believe is an unrecoverable position.
Auto Club: Three-Month Gas Price Slide Comes to an End
November 11, 2006 -- The record-breaking slide that brought gas prices 30 percent below their all-time record has ended, with slight upturns in gas price averages over the past week in most local areas, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
"After 11 straight weeks of price drops averaging more than a penny a day, prices made a U-turn this week in Southern California," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "Most other states began seeing gas prices go higher one week earlier than California, and this is the second straight week that the national gas price average has risen. Oil industry analysts say the price increase was expected sometime in November because of OPEC's decision to cut back production of crude oil. That has kept crude prices hovering around the $60 mark, making it difficult for prices at the pump to come down further."
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.417, which is 1.5 cents higher than last week, 22 cents lower than last month, and 27 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.437, 3.4 cents above last week's price, 11 cents below last month, and 27 cents below last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.671, down 2.3 cents from last week (although the price has been rising over the last couple of days), 23 cents below last month, and 12 cents lower than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.415, up 2.8 cents from last week, 17 cents below last month, and 28 cents lower than last year.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 10:
Area Regular One-week change
Record Price Los Angeles - Long Beach
2.417 +1.5 cents $3.402 (5/13/2006)
Orange County $2.368 +3.2 cents $3.371 (5/17/2006)
San Diego $2.437 +3.4 cents $3.438 (5/15/2006)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $2.671 -2.3 cents $3.491 (5/16/2006)
Riverside - San Bernardino $2.415 +2.8 cents $3.445 (5/15/2006)
Bakersfield $2.462 +0.5 cents $3.450 (5/16/2006)
Las Vegas, NV $2.363 No change $3.176 (5/17/2006)
Yahoo! Autos to Set First Ever Attempt Land Speed Record With Grease-Powered Vehicle
What Is a Greasel... and How Fast Will It Go?
Record-Attempt Is the First for a Diesel Vehicle Powered on Regular Cooking Oil
November 10, 2006 --
What is a Greasel? If you happen to be driving an SUV, truck or car that runs on diesel,
there is hope out there and it might come from a vat of french fries.
Current testing using WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) filtered and prepared
for internal combustion systems are currently being used on diesel engines
as an alternative for gas and diesel fuel. So, instead of gasoline or diesel
powered vehicle, think french fry or peanut oil for fuel. Now imagine
yourself stuck in traffic. What would be your choice: the smell of diesel
or peanut butter and french fries?
So, how fast can a Greasel go?
Yahoo! Autos will attempt to set a land speed record with a 3,000 HP,
6-cylinder, twin turbo, grease-powered diesel on Sunday,
November 12, 2006 at the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed near
Victorville, Ca. Yahoo! will be attempting to get the Greasel car up
to speeds of 160-200mph (Final MPH to be announced Sunday).
The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) sanctioned
record-attempt is the first for a diesel vehicle powered on regular
cooking oil. The two-day SCTA event running Saturday and Sunday
will culminate with the land speed record attempt and is the last
land speed-racing event of the year. The event celebrates the launch
of the Yahoo! Autos Green Center (http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center)
-- the most comprehensive source for all things related to alternative fuels.
