Whistler Olympics
In 1960, four Canadian businessmen returned to Canada after witnessing the spectacle of the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, to lay the groundwork for Whistler to host the Olympics. Unfortunately, Whistler was passed over for the honor of hosting the 1968 Winter Olympics in favor of Grenoble, France. The legacy of the failed Olympic bid would not be lost as the four men's vision would eventually turn Whistler Blackcomb into the number one ski resort in North America.
Over the next two decades, Whistler would forward two more Olympic bids, narrowly losing out to Denver, Colorado for the right to host the 1976 Games, which were eventually held in Innsbruck, Austria. Whistler was also a distant contender for the 1980 Winter Games, awarded to Lake Placid, New York.
The fruitless Olympic pursuits were not in vain as the tireless efforts of the Whistler believers would soon be rewarded. After years of waiting, the people of Whistler and nearby Vancouver filled the streets on July 2nd, 2003 to listen to the fateful announcement made by IOC President Jacques Rogge: The 2010 Winter Games would be hosted by Vancouver and Whistler. Celebrations erupted in both cities and throughout the country.
Since the Olympic announcement, infrastructure improvements have been undertaken to the Sea to Sky Highway linking Vancouver and Whistler. This upgrade will provide a shorter, safer trip for visitors to Whistler.
Whistler Blackcomb has experience hosting major international competitions. It has hosted several World Cup Alpine Events and is an important stop on the professional snowboarding circuit.
The legacy of the 2010 Games will benefit Whistler residents for many years. The resort will build an athletes' village which will be turned into residential housing after the Games. A Nordic facility, and bobsled and luge tracks will be built near the resort and will serve as a training site for aspiring Canadian athletes.
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