Media Advisory - VANOC to celebrate the end of construction of all Whistler Olympic and Paralympic competition venues on Friday, December 14

First competition at Whistler Nordic Venue on Saturday, December 15

    VANCOUVER, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ - The Vancouver Organizing Committee
 for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), the Government of
 Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of
 Whistler will celebrate the end of construction on Whistler's three
 competition venues with a community celebration on December 14.
 
     Whistler Sliding Centre photo opportunity and media availability:
 
     Members of the media are invited to a photo opportunity and media
 availability at the Whistler Sliding Center. Following a brief presentation
 and photo opportunity, attendees will be available for one-on-one
 interviews.
 
 

     When:        Friday, December 14, 2007
                  Media Bus departs: 12:40 pm PST
                  Photo opportunity/media availability: 1:00 pm PST
                  Event concludes: 2:00 pm PST
 
     Where - Media transportation:
 
                  Whistler Sliding Centre
                  4910 Glacier Way, Whistler BC
                  Media should park at Lot # 8 and board the media shuttles
                  no later than 12:40 pm for transportation to the Whistler
                  Sliding Centre.
 
     Attending:   John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer,
                  Dan Doyle, VANOC Executive Vice President; Venue
                  Construction
                  The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International
                  Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the
                  Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
                  The Honourable Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic
                  Development and Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific
                  Initiative and the Olympics
                  Ken Melamed, Mayor of the Resort Municipality of Whistler
                  Duff Gibson, Canadian Olympic gold medalist, skeleton, 2006
                  Torino Winter Games
 
     Apres Construction community celebration:
     VANOC and its partners will join the venue construction teams, their
 families and the Whistler community to mark the end of construction with a
 family focused celebration. Entertainment will include The Paperboys who
 will play a mix of Canadian and Celtic music favourites, traditional dances
 from the Squamish and Lil'wat Nations and a visit from the Vancouver 2010
 mascots.
 
 

     When:        Friday, December 14, 2007
                  4:30 pm to 8:00 pm PST
                  Formal remarks begin at 6:00 pm PST
 
     Where:       The Westin Resort and Spa
                  Emerald Ballroom
                  4090 Whistler Way
                  Whistler, BC
 
     Attending:   John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer,
                  Dan Doyle, VANOC Executive Vice President; Venue
                  Construction
                  The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International
                  Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the
                  Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
                  The Honourable Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic
                  Development and Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific
                  Initiative and the Olympics
                  Ken Melamed, Mayor of the Resort Municipality of Whistler
                  Duff Gibson, Canadian Olympic gold medalist, skeleton, 2006
                  Torino Winter Games
 
     Whistler Nordic Venue, Public Access Commences - Event details:
     More then 100 cross country ski competitors of all ages will take to
 the trails at the newly opened Whistler Nordic Venue in the facility's
 first official competition. Racers as young as six years old will be joined
 by members of Canada's Para-Nordic National Cross Country Ski Team and an
 excited skiing public that has eagerly anticipated their first opportunity
 to use the trails at the world-class facility.
 
 

     When:        Saturday, December 15, 2007
                  Venue opens at 8:00 am
                  Race registration at 9:00 am
                  First Race at 11:00 am
 
     Where:       Whistler Nordic Venue
                  5 Callaghan Valley Road
                  Callaghan Valley, BC
                  (Approximately 10 kilometers from Highway 99)
     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.
 
     CONTACT: Media Contacts: Katie Green, Vancouver 2010, (778) 328-6473;
 Stephane Delisle, Vancouver 2010, (778) 328-1186
 
 
 

SOURCE Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic