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Sunday 05.02.2012

$6 million for Whitehorse AWG

Whitehorse city officials presented council with their proposal to host the Arctic Winter Games in 2012 this week, saying they estimate a budget of $6.1 million for the sporting and cultural event.

Whitehorse city officials presented council with their proposal to host the Arctic Winter Games in 2012 this week, saying they estimate a budget of $6.1 million for the sporting and cultural event.

The Arctic Winter Games bring together youth from circumpolar nations around the world.

"This budget is very close to the two previous games … that were held," city recreation director Linda Rapp, who has worked on the bid, said.

"So, we think it's a very realistic budget."

The Arctic Winter Games take place every other year in selected northern cities. Yellowknife hosted the last games in 2008, and Grande Prairie, Alta., will host the next event in March 2010, CBC News reports.

Whitehorse was initially invited to host the 2010 Arctic Winter Games but was allowed to skip that year because it held the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

As part of the 2012 bid, city officials are counting on the federal and Yukon governments to provide almost half of the budget. Donations and merchandising will make up the rest.

The proposal calls for the hiring of as many as a dozen paid staff members over the next two and a half years to prepare the event.

Council will vote on the games proposal next week. If approved, the proposal will then go before the Arctic Winter Games International Committee.