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From the Olympics Toward Tomorrow

Shinano Mainichi

The truth behind "Asia's foothold"

Finding post-Olympic use for Bobsleigh venue proves difficult

The Spiral was built under the pretenses of being "the only refrigerated track in Asia." There is quite a bit of anticipation to hold world events at the venue after the Games are finished. However, an official from the Japan Bobsleigh and Luge Federation expresses that, "It may prove difficult to continue holding events there every year."

There are a few dozen bobsleigh tracks throughout the world, but more than 80% of them are in Europe. World Cup event participants from each county usually ship their bobsleighs to each venue.

But shipping expenses on air freight for the teams' bobsleighs from Europe to Japan this time cost close to one million yen each. They say that the burden to participate in an Asian event every year would be too heavy.

Finding post-Olympic uses for facilities used in the Games is a difficult problem. Trying to ascertain where the Spiral in particular is headed is even more perplexing.

Since the completion of the Spiral, the number of bobsleigh and luge participants in Japan has been growing. However, that still only comes to about 300 in the two events combined. Usage-fee income this fiscal year at the Spiral venue came to about 3 million yen, almost nothing when compared with the Big Hat's (Ice Hockey "A" venue) 58 million yen and M-Wave's (speed skating venue) 24 million yen.

On top of these low income figures, maintenance expenses (including labor expenses and electricity costs associated with the track refrigeration system) come to a total of 250 million yen per year.

A bobsleigh team starts its run under the encouraging cheers of onlookers. The spectators held their breath at the intensity of the World Cup "Formula One on ice," but it is as yet impossible to see what direction the Spiral venue will take after the Olympics.

In the middle of January this year the City put on a test run of the track using a French-made leisure sled, placing cushions around the seat for comfort. The sled's speed was kept at around 80 km/hr. using a rubber pad. Riders who got to try out the bobsleigh excitedly say that "the sensation of speed is amazing."

But even with the fee for a test-ride being 2000 yen per run, supposing 10,000 people were to participate per year, the revenue generated still would only come to 20 million yen. The possibility of deficits is very high, and it appears that the city won't be able to avoid kicking in the left-over operating costs.

The City paints a picture of post-Olympic use for the facility as the following-- "During the winter season the venue can be used for competitions and practice, and otherwise can also be used as a tourist attraction throughout the year. In doing so we can receive some sort of regular income." But much more than just profitability, there is a need to return to the original reasons for building the facility when regarding post-Olympic uses for the Spiral.

During the Olympic bid stage, Nagano's organizers strongly appealed to the importance of holding this event in Asia. Nagano Coalition, a labor organization, and the Nagano Prefectural Employers' Association, in a proposal put together in 1994 suggested that "finding post-Olympic uses for venues must be done in a way to fulfill the dreams of people in the region and throughout Asia." They also advocated the organization of a national-scale "Nagano-Asia International Sports Cooperative Center".

From here on out, the possibility for a change of "athletic atmosphere" in rapidly developing Asia is strong. By inviting athlete's and leaders from each country in Asia, there could be some sort of "technology transfer" in sport. It is impossible to calculate the amount of future Olympic talent Nagano will raise... In this aspect there is a long-term point of view. However, since the proposal for the Center was made, there has been little evidence that the ideas presented have at all been considered.

Robert Storey, president of the International Federation of Bobsleigh and Tobogganing (FIBT), who came to Japan for the World Cup meet insists, "The Spiral will become a foothold for the development of sled competition in Asia." The FIBT is now is urging concerned parties to support winter bobsleigh competitions in Asia.

In order to solidify the Spiral as "Asia's foothold", the Nation, Prefecture, and competitive federations will have to think together about post-Olympic uses and be willing to share part of the financial burden. It will certainly be necessary to consider such a full-scale approach.

Until now the National Government has taken some distance on the issue, with the Ministry of Education's Sport Promotion Section stating that "basically, Nagano City itself needs to think about post-Olympic use for venues. There is no previous precedent for the Nation supporting facilities which are under the management of local government. Local government will be responsible for administrating facilities after the Games are finished." This was stated on the grounds of a Cabinet agreement concerning the issue in 1989.

However, the Spiral is different from other facilities such as gymnasiums which can be a base for sport among local citizens. Can the character of such a facility be ignored and dealt with so indiscriminately? Among the aggravated national and local financial situation, there is the fact that 9.3 billion yen was spent just to build the Spiral facility. The National Government provided assistance for nearly half of that total. It's hard to expect that local and national residents will think their money is being well spent if such a facility is kept up just for the tourists.

No part of the article, photographs, or illustrations presented here may be printed or used without permission.

Copyright 1999 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun