And the winner of the Olympic bid is..........................................

[MarsLady]

LONDON

Yes all those things are great I agree, and I'm sure the kids will have a great time doing things linked to it at school but, if it increases taxes or whatever for people who aren't actually gonna benefit from it at all then I won't be pleased.

Afaik the tax will just be for Londoners.

See this:

Londoners could be facing a £160 rise in council tax over seven years, should the British capital wins its bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

The tax increase is one of the methods of fund raising to pay for a London Olympics included in The Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Bill, and would raise £625 million towards the overall cost from public funds of £2.4 billion.

The money earmarked for the Games also includes the profits from a new lottery, which will be launched if the bid is successful, and could raise up to £750 million.

"Should we win the right to host the Olympics the Bill paves the way to introduce an Olympic Lottery straight away," said Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell.

"By making this possible we are showing our commitment to do everything possible to bring the Olympics to London in 2012.

"We hope that a dedicated Olympic Lottery could raise up to £750 million to help fund the 2012 Games, which would bring benefits across the UK including regeneration and increased investment.

"It also has the potential, as part of a wider strategy for growth, to help re-invigorate the entire Lottery."

From the rics website (www.rics.org)

Personally, I think the £2.4 billion will be well spent if the long-term benefits are factored in. There is far too little emphasis on sport in this country, school sport having been in decline for many years and it's about time something was done about it. And East London is the ideal centrepiece for the event.

Nutty what about if your children were going to compete?

Let the hothousing of our little future olympians begin. My girl for the 100 metre egg and spoon.

I'm excited about how the olympics might be the catalyst for getting a generation of young children off their X-boxes and out doing something sporty

Blair has acted like a true Gentleman over the last few days, and has gone up 100 fold in my estimations, Chriac has been rude and not, sorry to sound anti-French but if that is the way it sounds then so be it

Lets hope that the Olympic venues are spread throughout the UK, thus benefitting a much wider spread of the community - and ALL our children -not just London and the suburbs

Just think of the learning poosibilities in school for our children.

Geography of the world/countries involved.

Sport in school will become much more "Trendy".

I know our school will make a huge big deal of it.

That can't be bad, can it?

Many school playing fields were sold off! - so how will kids be able to benefit from an olympic stadium? More likly to encourage kids to play sports if the facilities are were they live.

A bit persepective required perhaps - yes I am pleased that London have won the games but I don't believe it will benefit children on sink estates in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Newcastle for example. It isn't great for the whole country - it is good for London and it's environs it aint going to do much for my two DDs in Stirling thou' is it?

Improving London's transport system is not high on my list of priorities and a report this morning suggests the financial benefits may not be as large as suggested.

And hey what if sport isn't such a big deal in your life.

Yes it is great and wonderful but life-changing for the majority of the population - perhaps not.

See this also from the Dept.of Culture website.

The first £2.050 billion of the funding package will be met from up to £1.5 billion from the lottery and up to £550 million from London Council Tax (this equates to a £20 a year increase on Band D council tax which would start in 2006/7).

Beyond £2.050 billion provision has been made for a further contribution of £75 million from London Council Tax and then £250 million from the London Development Agency.

I think the selling of playing fields is a trend that is reversing already, and that trend is more likely to slow down even further with us winning the Olympic bid

Party pooper

I'm usually so cycnical about everything but I just cannot find anything about this win to be cynical about. We're a rich country. If Greece could host the Olympic games then I am sure we can.

We all pay money in taxes for things we don't benefit from.... whilst I can understand a moral objection to paying for the Iraq war, I just can't see why it would bother people that much that the Olympic games will cost the country some money.

Not very eloquently put but you get the gist.

the sailing will be at Weymouth, the rowing near Eton, and the football will be spread around the country at the major stadium. Not sure about other sports but I would think there are a few others that will be outside London.

Gomez - your two dd's in Stirling might be taking part come 2012 for all you know!!

They've just said that they think Blair's obvious support for Africa won the African votes.

Zubb - good point

Compo - perhaps - but now the school facilities are gone for many kids - were will they go to play sports? - also some sports cost money for equipment etc & not every kid can afford to take part.

Ooh, I'm going to be practically the only dissenting voice then. Maybe someone can persuade me it'll be a Good Thing but atm I can't see why. So, someone, tell me why it is. Atm all I can see is that it'll cost a lot of money (and I don't understand the way funding of the Olympics work so would appreciate someone telling me) for what, 3 weeks of sport? If this money (£26 billion IIRC but I'm prepared to be corrected on that) is available for a sporting event (imagine a sneering voice here) then why isn't it available for say, allieviation of child poverty? Action on climate change? Public transport? Go on you lot, persuade me that London winning is a good thing...

homemama

Who is 'they' that said that?

Ah Gomez, we cross posted!

see below for answers to some of your questions www

So you see no connection between Wimbledon fortnight and tennis clubs all over the country being packed out for weeks afterwards?

Doesn't happen after the French Open does it??

Compo I doubt it, one will be 12 (and ain't got the build for an gymnast ) and the other will be 8.

But why would it have been any harder for them to compete in Paris or Madrid for example?

For once I feel now is the time for unfettered joy and celebration. We never win anything so FFS this is NOT a time for moaning.

And while I'm at it, In Your Face Chirac. Sorry!