Vaughn Palmer: World Cup will cost B.C. more

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VICTORIA — When word came this week that Toronto was facing an $80 million overrun on the costs of hosting the World Cup, reporters began asking whether B.C. would be paying more as well.

Well, yes, according to cabinet minister Lana Popham, whose tourism, arts, culture and sport bailiwick includes responsibility for the World Cup.

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“The numbers have changed substantially since we have received news of getting two more games,” Popham told reporters Tuesday, referring to the news that B.C. will be hosting seven games, up from the expected five.

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Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced this week that the cost estimate for her city had jumped from $300 million to $380 million, saying: “It’s important that we are transparent, that we are realistic.”

No such rush to transparency was evident when Popham was asked to provide the equivalent escalation for B.C.’s last all-in estimate in the $250 million range.

“We don’t have that yet,” she said.

Nevertheless, the minister insisted “our commitment is to be completely transparent along the way.”

Not so far. Secrecy shrouds commitments B.C. made to secure Vancouver as a host city ahead of Edmonton. Nor has the province or the city followed the lead of Seattle, which last summer made public its contract with FIFA, the domineering parent organization of the World Cup.

Popham did mention in passing the need to upgrade the B.C. Place stadium.

“I learned just last week that the ramps that were originally put in are too steep for wheelchair users,” she told reporters. “So, we were looking at tapping into more lifts to make sure that it’s more accessible and people can move throughout those buildings.”

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Here comment barely scratched the surface on FIFA’s demands regarding the transformation of B.C. Place.

Chris May, the general manager for the stadium, recently outlined FIFA’s expectations for replacing the B.C. Place artificial turf with grass.

“They (FIFA) have studies going at two U.S. universities where they’re growing grass seed in different environments,” May told Gloria Macarenko of CBC’s Early Edition.

“They will come to us and they will say this is the type of grass seed. This is when you install. This is how you grow. This is when you water to make sure that every pitch around all 16 (tournament) stadiums and the massive differences in climate zones and that type of thing give a consistency for all the stadiums.”

All of which tends to confirm that when FIFA says “jump,” host cities are expected to say “how high?”

The recent provincial budget provided no basis for even guessing the final cost of hosting the World Cup.

The three-year service plan for the B.C. Pavilion Corporation, the Crown corporation operator of B.C. Place, said only that “planning and preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will continue into the upcoming financial year,” starting April 1.

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The plan touted the World Cup as “an opportunity to enhance the fan and client experience well into the future with upgraded infrastructure, improved accessibility and additional service offerings.”

But the service plan said nothing about what any of that might cost, even though it covers the period up to and including the year when B.C. hosts the World Cup.

The budget did say that the billions of dollars in unallocated “contingency funds” in the fiscal plan could be used to cover “uncertain costs such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, where plans and costs are still being developed and refined with partners.”

Lest there be any doubt, Finance Minister Katrine Conroy clarified Wednesday that the reference does not mean the vast majority of the $3 billion in this year’s contingency fund is available for “FIFA.”

Just to be on the safe side, they’d better tell FIFA. It is known to be grasping, even by the standards of international sports organizations.

While Popham has yet to disclose the terms of B.C.’s relationship with FIFA, she insists “it’s not a blank cheque.”

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Have the New Democrats capped what the province is willing to pay?

“We haven’t stated that there’s a cap,” hedged Popham. “We are making sure that the numbers are ones that are acceptable as far as what we can carry.”

These international sporting events always end up costing more. Why would this one be any different?

“If we look at infrastructure improvements, or legacy projects, all of those things most likely will cost more today than they did five years ago.”

What was her working number for the cost as of this week?

“We don’t have a new working number today to give you, but we’ll have that soon,” she replied. “We know generally, ballpark, what sporting events costs and so my team is running those numbers.”

Would Popham at least share the ballpark figure with the folks who will be picking up the tab?

Nope. Seems the cost has not yet been massaged into a shape that is fit for public consumption.

But with the World Cup still two years away, it is safe to predict that the next cost estimate you hear from the minister won’t be the last.

vpalmer@postmedia.com

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