A full stadium of fans and perfect spectating weather set the stage for a successful Championships.
ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE and all 2,200 volunteers of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, I want express our sincere appreciation and thanks to everyone that participated in any form or fashion in the 2015 Championships. The athletic performances were truly inspiring, the energy and enthusiasm of the fans that packed the Red Tail Stadium, lined the race courses each day and celebrated the athletic achievements each night at Championships Plaza was incredible, while the broadcast and media coverage of the competitions and our community was unprecedented. When we were awarded the 2015 World Championships five years ago, we set the theme of Dream It. Live It. Share It. We are proud to have been able to complete all three of these tasks with the help of our many partners and friends. We were truly blessed to have been able to serve as host of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. Best of luck to St. Moritz 2017 and Are 2019 for their planning and preparation, and best wishes to all future FIS Alpine World Championships organizers. Thank you for Dreaming, Living and Sharing the 2015 World Championships with us. Sincerely,
Ceil Folz President, 2015 World Championships Organizing Committee
Photos by Logan Robertson.
2015 BY THE NUMBERS
GREAT ATHLETIC PERFORMANCES
500 Athletes • 68 Nations • 10 Nations Win Medals •
UNMATCHED TELEVISION COVERAGE & PRODUCTION • Over
800 Million Viewers Worldwide
27 Nations Broadcasting Live • 70 Hours of Live International Coverage • M ore Than 25 Hours of Domestic Coverage
•
IMPRESSIVE DIGITAL/ SOCIAL MEDIA/PR PRESENCE
UNPRECEDENTED ATTENDANCE
• #vail2015 Trended as on Twitter
20,958 Estimated Race & Ceremonies Spectators 2 • 25,000 for Men’s Downhill • 25,000 for Women’s Slalom Medals
40.1 Million Impressions Since February 1 • Nearly 70 Billion PR Impressions • Over 38,000 App Downloads
•
•
Top Ten Topic
FULL HOUSE
95% on Weekends • Average Stay = 4.3 Days • 29,604 Estimated Room Nights Generated • Lodging Occupancy Close to
INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEER CORPS
2,200 Volunteers • 175,000 Volunteer Hours • Over
ACCOMODATIONS LODGING FOR THE OFFICIAL ENTOURAGE of the 2015 World Championships was facilitated through a combination of 43 properties throughout the Vail Valley, including 17 hotels, 16 condominiums and 10 private homes. This total room block amounted to 1,283 rooms booked and 20,480 individual room nights.
In addition, 13 fan clubs were accommodated, with the 160 members accounting for 438 room nights during the course of the Championships. From a volunteer perspective, 150 Race volunteers were provided free lodging via the Homestay Program in 85 private residences throughout the community. The Vail Valley’s lodging occupancy rates approached 95% on both weekends of the Championships, while mid-week numbers were on par with normal February rates for Vail, although lodging revenue was up over 2014. Beaver Creek experienced a 10% increase in lodging occupancy during the Championships.
Team Houses were instrumental in adding to the international flavor of the Championships. Photo by Logan Robertson.
ACCREDITATION THE ACCREDITATION SYSTEM implemented by the LOC for the 2015 World Championships was the Ardian Group Event Management System or AGEMS. AGEMS served as a pre-event registration and data collection interface, hosting 15 accreditation applications forms. AGEMS also acted as a nine zone multi-venue credentialing system that facilitated access control for participants in 12 customer groups (FIS, Guest, LOC, Media, Public Safety, Team, TV/Radio, VIP) so that individuals and/or entire organizations could perform their jobs properly. The LOC established a unique accreditation matrix, based on each customer group’s working requirements, to support access control at approximately 100 different locations across three venues. This enhanced the working experience while limiting the access to as few individuals as possible. The 2015 Welcome Center, located in the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon, acted as an accreditation center, ticket office, and information center all-in-one. The Welcome Center issued accreditation devices, hospitality and social event tickets, lift access, parking passes, VIP gifts, and spectator guides. A total of 9,130 accreditations were issued for the 2015 Championships, while a total of 33 different supplemental devices provided access to specific restricted zones and areas throughout the event.
ACCREDITATION BREAKDOWN FIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
General Secretary . . . . . . 21
Non-Rights Holding Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Guest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Head Coach . . . . . . . . . . 123
LOC Committees . . . . . . 168
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
LOC Volunteer . . . . . . 2,267
Supplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
LOC VVF . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Team Guest . . . . . . . . . . 287
PR/Sponsors/ Press Attaches . . . . . . . . 26
LOC Workforce . . . . . 1,598
Team Official . . . . . . . . . 578
Host Broadcaster A . . . . 224
Public Safety . . . . . . . . . 980
Team Press Attache . . . . . 30
Host Broadcaster B . . . . 139
Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,164
Broadcast . . . . . . . . . . . 790
Rights-Holding A . . . . . . 424
Alpine Director . . . . . . . . . 37
EBU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
VIP Donor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Athlete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 685
Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
VIP Sponsorship . . . . . . 125
Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Journalist . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Did Not Attend . . . . . . . . 101
Forerunner . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Photographer . . . . . . . . 112
Non-Rights Holding Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Accreditation Checkpoints throughout the venues allowed for optimal crowd dispersion and security controls. The Welcome Center (bottom-left) is where the journey began. Photos by Matt Andrews.
BROADCAST ONE OF THE TRUE SUCCESS STORIES of the 2015 World Championships was the unmatched production and coverage provided by Eurovision Production Coordination, the European Broadcasting Union and the domestic partnership between the NBC Sports Group and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. The two weeks of the 2015 Championships resulted in a worldwide viewership of over 800 million people, with record audiences in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia and the United States. On the domestic television front, the partnership between the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association and the NBC Sports Group involved the combination of NBC Sports, NBC Sports Network and Universal Sports providing a total of 25 hours of live coverage during the two weeks of the Championships. EPC provided 70 hours of live coverage, broadcast to 27 nations, including live production of all races, official training runs, qualification competitions and Opening and Closing Ceremonies. A total of 15 international broadcast entities were on-site, while the NBC Sports Group provided a record 25 hours of domestic coverage through their various platforms and networks. In addition, the host broadcaster provided a World Feed Plus service that featured an additional 200 hours of live production, including all official inspections, multiple interviews and the best slow motion of each racer during competition. During the Championships, there were 11 on-site rights holders, three TV studios, 22 commentator positions, seven announcer positions, 14 live TV mixed zone boxes and eight live radio mixed zone positions. A three-level International Broadcast Center was constructed a short walk from the Red Tail Stadium in Beaver Creek to house all Host and RightsHolding Broadcast operations during the Championships. The 30,000 square-foot structure was home to approximately 500 Broadcast personnel. The host broadcast production featured HDTV coverage with 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, with a total of over 200 camera positions, 90 of those on the Women’s course and 80 on the Men’s course. Vail featured 27 camera positions for the Nations Team Event, while Championships Plaza at Solaris played host to eight positions for the medals presentation. Scenes from broadcast partners and the International Broadcast Center. Photos by Logan Robertson.
CEREMONIES THE CEREMONIES COMMITTEE was responsible for planning and delivering the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, Official Medals Presentations, Sport Production and Pre and Post Race and Ceremonies Entertainment. The Opening Ceremony featured a theme of Dream It. Live It. Share It., representing the overall mantra for the Championships. The key components of the program included the FIS protocol, live music and dance, video and graphics, the introduction of a group of former Olympic and World Championships “Legends”, technological integration and fireworks. The Opening Ceremony was well attended with an estimated crowd of over 10,000 people. The Closing Ceremony took place at the Red Tail Stadium in Beaver Creek following the conclusion of the second run of Men’s Slalom. The key components of the program included the FIS Protocol, live music, passing of the FIS flag to St. Moritz, large U.S. and Swiss flags and daytime fireworks. The nightly official medals presentations were hosted at Championships Plaza at Solaris in Vail Village and followed immediately by a free concert. The key components of the medals presentations included the FIS protocol, the Colorado Children’s Chorale singing the national anthem of the winning nation live and the free concert. The LOC also hosted four bib presentations/draws in conjunction the medals presentations. In addition to the free nightly concerts, the LOC also produced a trio of ticketed performances at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek. Performers included internationally renowned opera sensation Anna Netrebko, modern dance artists Momix and singer Jane Lynch. Opening Ceremonies followed the “Dream It, Live It, Share It” theme with appearances by athletes, skiing legends, event officials and live entertainment artists. Photos by Logan Robertson.
Vail hosted the daily award ceremonies, welcoming an animated and packed crowd.
ENVIRONMENT THE LOC PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION to overall waste management working with the Vail Resorts’ Green Event Checklist to collect and remove waste from all the venues. Broadcast and VIP hospitality utilised reusable flatware while compostable products were used for the general public concessions to reduce land fill waste, with volunteers stationed at the recycling bins to ensure proper disposal. In addition Vail Village had several recycling containers available for visitors to use at the medal ceremonies and concerts. MTD Pure Water was used to provide both clean and grey water solutions for the venues. This solution allowed flush toilets to be provided in some areas and also considerably reduced the amount of bottled water needed for the venues. The LOC worked with Cat Power for temporary power needs at all venues to supplement the shore power with full redundant backups for technical and operational power. The local utility companies oversaw natural gas and propane needs. Buses were the main form of transportation to the Red Tail Stadium accommodating 3,000 people per hour. Many people also used skis to reach the finish area. In addition, there were walking trails groomed to allow visitors to reach the mid-mountain stadium complete with free snowshoes provided.
FACILITIES THE 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS featured a combination of existing on-mountain and community infrastructure, along with a significant amount of permanent and temporary construction projects, primarily due to the midmountain location of the Red Tail Stadium and related venue needs. Permanent construction projects included building the new Raptor Women’s Race Course, which was completed over the course of the summers of 2012 and 2013, and the construction of the new Talons Restaurant during the summer of 2013, which served as the primary Media Center for the World Championships. In addition, Vail Resorts replaced the old Centennial Express quad lift, the primary access to Beaver Creek Mountain from Beaver Creek Village, with a new combination chairlift and gondola during the summer of 2014. The new chair increased the uphill capacity from the village to 3,400 people per hour, enhancing the old capacity by 35%. Temporary Beaver Creek facilities featured the International Broadcast Center (30,000 square feet on three levels), located just north of the Red Tail Stadium complex, the 3,500-seat tribune and adjoining “Flight Deck”, Gold/Platinum Hospitality structure and scaffold deck (20,000 square feet on two levels), Silver Hospitality tent (10,000 square foot one level clear span tent structure), video board scaffold structures, Broadcast Mixed Zone scaffolding, photo platform, TV camera platforms and a pair of tents on the Talons Restaurant deck for post-race press conferences and athlete hospitality. Vail’s temporary facilities included the 1,400 seat Golden Peak Stadium tribune, temporary finish tower, video board structures, photo platform and Broadcast Mixed scaffolding. Additional temporary construction in Vail Village involved the build out and related infrastructure at Championships Plaza, the host venue for the Opening Ceremony, nightly medals presentations and free concerts.
Photos by Zach Mahone, Logan Robertson and Matt Andrews.
Silver, Gold and Platinum VIP hospitalities border skier’s left area of Red Tail Stadium
FESTIVAL THE GOAL OF THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE was to create an “All American” experience for all spectators, while also establishing a strategic pathway of entertainment flow that would guide guests throughout each day. Daily on-venue events included buskers, Trail 2015 spectator walking experience, the 2015 Cheerleaders, Cam the Dancing Fan, the live golden eagle, stadium hand-outs, stadium pre and postrace live show and celebrity national anthem artists. Off-venue daily events included the International Experience Tent in Beaver Creek Village, Aprés Avon and the Sierra Nevada Winter Beer Camp in Vail Village. Open all day, the International Experience Tent featured breakfast and served as the main sponsor activation point in Beaver Creek Village, with a “Country of the Day” animation, youth activities, pin trading and buskers, along with a large video screen with the race footage. Aprés Avon served as the spectator transition point for guests moving from Beaver Creek to Vail for the nightly activities, while the Winter Beer Camp provided spectator transition from awards to the free concerts in addition to serving as a point of concessions. A number of National Ski Associations, notably USA, Austria, Germany and Switzerland, created their own national houses for the duration of the Championships, which served as the meeting point for their sponsors, guests and friends.
Some of the familiar faces from our entertainment line-up pictured; including Craig Wayne Boyd, Phillip Phillips and mascots: Pete & Earl. Photos by Logan Robertson and Jodi Wegner.
FINANCIAL
6% 7%
THE LOC ESTIMATES that the final expense budget for the event will be approximately $59.9 million. We are pleased to report that our various revenue sources will be able to cover that budget, while also generating a small surplus.
Revenues
8%
International Sponsors/Rights Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,823,663 VIP Donors/Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,633,920 Government Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,025,500
57%
10%
Fees/Tickets/Misc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,871,589 Trades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,340,522
12%
National/Community Sponsorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,847,500
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $61,542,694 Expenses Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,144,617 Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,623,223 Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,100,961 Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,318,814 Trades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,340,522 Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,122,676 Labor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,372,704 Ceremonies/Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,018,917 Revenue Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,772,895
2% 1% 1% 2% 4% 5%
19%
5% 5%
15%
Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,764,466 Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,434,135
6%
Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,469,449 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,394,533 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $876,169 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $362,636
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,116,718
7% 7%
12% 9%
HOSPITALITY RED TAIL STADIUM PLAYED HOST to the two VIP hospitality structures for the 2015 Beaver Creek competitions. For the Nations Team Event in Vail, Platinum hospitality was located at the Larkspur Restaurant, while Gold hospitality was headquartered at the Lodge at Vail. Beaver Creek’s Gold/Platinum hospitality structure was located in a two-level hardsided temporary structure on skier’s left of the finish corral, with an interior staircase to traverse from the first floor to the second. The structure was situated on a scaffolding structure that sat 65 feet off the ground and featured a total of 20,000 square feet of space, 10,000 square feet on each level. The Silver hospitality tent was located just uphill from Gold/Platinum, comprised of a one-level free span tent that offered 10,000 square feet of space. Both hospitality structures also featured a sizeable exterior deck that enabled guests to have a great view of the finish area and lower race course. Early on in the planning process, the LOC made the decision that with few exceptions, access to both hospitality structures was via daily tickets, rather than accreditation. Depending on their level of involvement or donation, guests were limited to the number of daily tickets they received, as well as the number of tickets that could be used on one particular day. Platinum hospitality was designed to offer a personalized experience, with daily reservations required and reserved tables on the upper level. Daily reserved seating fluctuated between 315-430 people, with breakfast, lunch, light snacks and beverages provided. Gold hospitality was designed to offer a comfortable experience, with no reserved seating, but the same quality of food and beverage provided to Platinum guests. While the primary seating area for Gold guests was located on the first floor, they were also able to sit upstairs if the Platinum level was not fully subscribed, making for a potential seating capacity of 400-600 people. Silver hospitality was designed as a less formal experience, with no reserved seating and a grill and outdoor ice bar. Depending on the day, the capacity of Silver ranged from 800-950 people. The LOC hired an independent caterer to coordinate the various hospitality functions during the two weeks of the Championships. The caterer reported that during the two weeks, nearly 25,000 meals had been served in 11 days (hospitality was not open if there was not a medal race scheduled). In addition, the overall operation required 51 private catering staff and 48 volunteers.
Hospitality zones provided ideal vistas of the race finish and a second-to-none guest experience. Photos by Logan Robertson.
LEGACY THE 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS will leave behind numerous event-specific venues and services that will continue to provide valuable amenities for Vail and Beaver Creek’s annual recreational skiers and snowboarders. The new Raptor Women’s race course, constructed during the summers of 2012 and 2013, provides an additional 17 acres of skiable terrain to Beaver Creek Mountain, along with 30 acres of new snowmaking capability for the resort. Built during the summer of 2013 with the World Championships in mind, the new Talons Restaurant served as the primary Media Center for all Beaver Creek competitions. In addition to providing a greatly enhanced work environment for the media, Talons features a total of 18,000 square feet on two levels, compared to the 3,600 square feet of space that was available in 1999. Vail Resorts replaced the Centennial Express lift in Beaver Creek with a combination chairlift/gondola configuration during the summer of 2014 in anticipation of the World Championships. The new combo lift features an uphill capacity of 3,400 people per hour, representing a 35% increase over the old Centennial Express Lift. Cell phone coverage had been sporadic at best for not only media covering the annual World Cup races in Beaver Creek, but the general public as well. As a result of the Championships, Vail Resorts entered into an agreement with American Tower to install a mountain-wide system of non-carrier specific cell phone towers. As a result, Beaver Creek now features robust on-mountain voice and data coverage, facilitated by four major carriers, all broadcasting 3G & 4G/LTE. Three years in the making of Red Tail Stadium, consisting of more than 250,000 square feet of scaffolding/building equipment and 31,000 hours annually of course construction and maintenance. Photos by John Dakin.
MARKETING/ PUBLIC RELATIONS THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
for the 2015 World Championships featured a four-pronged approach that included Traditional Media, Digital Media, the 2015 App and Publicity and Promotion. Traditional Media encompassed Press Releases, Newsletters and Press Conferences. A total of 184 releases were sent, dating back to 2010 and the awarding of the 2015 bid to Vail and Beaver Creek. These releases generated a total of 42,808 clips and over 69 billion impressions. There were also a total of 51 newsletters sent to various groups, including FIS professionals and staff, fan clubs, ski clubs and USSA-specific. The initial 2015 website was launched in 2010 in order to secure the official URL and begin building SEO strength. The site was re-launched in August of 2013 and served as the official website through the Championships. The second site had a phased strategy to reflect the information that was currently known and what visitors would be using the site for in long and short-lead booking windows. The final significant site updates were performed in late January of 2015. From December 15, 2014 through February 28, 2015, the www.vailbeavercreek2015.com site received a total of 1,097,482 visitors and 2,884,067 page views. Around 52 stories were published during the three week period on the official website, with 32 video clips uploaded. From a social media perspective, the 2015 Facebook page concluded the Championships with nearly 60,000 fans and 36.8 million impressions. In all, the 2015 Championships posted a total of 40.1 million social media impressions throughout all platforms. These digital numbers do not take into account the impressions from the FIS website, which helped to engage a more widespread, global audience. In other social media outlets, the 2015 World Championships recorded 12,500 Instagram subscribers, 7,572 Twitter followers and 2.5 million impressions and 500 YouTube subscribers with 130,944 views and 131,000 impressions. The 2015 App was the key communications tool leading up to and during the event, providing planning information, onsite information, live timing, transportation and snow report integrations, along with maps and schedules for the Championships. A total of 38,632 people downloaded the app, recording a total of 523,233 session and 1.7 million impressions.
Social media engaged a global audience and inspired the next generation of ski racing fans; this complemented traditional efforts which targeted the core demographic.
MEDIA OPERATIONS THE LOC RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 553 APPLICATIONS for accreditation, of which 430 were approved to be issued. At the conclusion of the Championships, it was determined that 329 media accreditations were actually picked up and activated. This number included 141 Journalists, 112 Photographers, 11 Non-Rights Holding Radio, 39 Non-Rights Holding Television and 26 Public Relations/Press Attache personnel. The 2015 World Championships media corps represented a total of 17 different nations, with the United States claiming the most individual accreditations at 195. Host Broadcaster and Rights-Holding Broadcast accreditation was handled by Eurovision Production Coordination. The new Talons Restaurant, a mid-mountain facility built in 2013 by Vail Resorts in anticipation of the 2015 Championships, served as the primary Media Center for the event. While the mid-mountain location presented some obvious challenges, Talons also had the advantage of being 50 meters from the Mixed Zone. The building has two levels – the upper level was used as a workspace for approximately 250 journalists and photographers; the lower level featured the Media Operations offices, photo lockers, ski storage and the food service operation that was available for Media and other personnel with the proper access to the building. The facility was not open to the public during the event. Two sub-centers were also available for journalists during the Championships. The Westin Media Center in Avon was established to encourage and enhance the ability to spread out and also work beyond the scheduled hours at Talons, given its location. The Westin Media Center featured seating for approximately 150 individuals. The Manor Vail Media Center was used for the Nations Team Event (February 10) and Qualification Races (February 12 and 14), and featured workspace for approximately 150 people. This sub-center saw its biggest use on the NTE day, when approximately 75 journalists and photographers utilized the space. Francis Bompard of Agence Zoom in France was contracted to be the Photo Manager for the 2015 World Championships, a role he also held for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. A designated section of the Talons Media Center was reserved for photographers and seating was assigned in coordination with the expanded bandwith orders placed by the major agencies (Agence France-Presse, Getty, USA Today, Associated Press, GEPA). Each of the major agencies and photographers covering the event were also given access to lockers (60 total) that were positioned on the lower level of the Talons Media Center as well as a ski rack inside the building for overnight ski storage.
The setup at Talons hosting members of the global MEDIA corps (top), press conference room (middle), photo tower at Awards Ceremony in Vail (bottom). Photos by Logan Robertson.
MEDICAL SERVICES THE VAIL BEAVER CREEK 2015 MEDICAL GUIDE was reviewed by both the FIS Medical Committee and the Community Partners Group and integrated into all event-related medical services. The appointed FIS Medical Supervisor liaised closely with the LOC medical services organization in advance of, and during, the Championships. A comprehensive rescue service was put in place to deal with all incidents, with two helicopter staging areas designated at Red Tail Stadium, with helicopters on standby for transport to Denver or other major trauma centers. However, long-line rescue is not permissible in this environment. First Aid facilities (AED) were placed around the stadiums, as well as a medical concierge desk at the Guest Services tent at both the Red Tail and Golden Peak Stadium. Several urgent care locations were also located near both venues. During the two weeks of the Championships, each competition venue was staffed on a daily basis by members of the Race-Specific Patrol, Emergency Medical Services, Mountain Ski Patrol, Event Physicians and Spectator Medical personnel. On any given day, approximately 60 Medical Team members were on site for the competitions. Anti-Doping Control was provided by a team from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that worked effectively and professionally, with six urine and two blood tests conducted following each race. The doping controls took place in a trailer that was conveniently located adjacent to the Talons Restaurant and the post-race press conference facility. A total of 66 doping controls were performed on athletes from 18 nations, with 22 blood samples. The average time for a control from check-in to check-out of the doping control station was 21 minutes with the longest taking 75 minutes and the shortest six minutes.
ORGANIZATION IN JANUARY OF 2011, the 2015 World Championships Organizing Committee was established. The LOC structure included an Executive Committee (11 members), the Coordination Committee (four members) and the Advisory Committee (14 members), along with 21 area-specific Operational Committees. Each Operational Committee was then charged with putting together their specialized committees, which averaged approximately 1012 members per committee. In addition to the LOC, 20 fulltime employees of the Vail Valley Foundation assumed key 2015 roles within the framework of the organization. None of the LOC committee members were paid for their involvement. In the final ramp up to the Championships, the Vail Valley Foundation hired an additional 20 contract employees to assist with various aspects of the event. All roles were 2015-specific and all positions were phased out within four months of the conclusion of the Championships. These 2015-specific contractors were Foundation employees and some worked on other VVF events as well in the year prior to the World Championships. With the dissolution of the LOC and the departure of the 20 event-specific VVF staff following the conclusion of the Championships, a handful of Vail Valley Foundation staff are assisting in coordinating the event wrap-up, including the Transfer of Knowledge and the Final Report.
Mountain Ski Patrol team member in full action (top); Organizing Committee members pictured (middle, bottom). Photos by Logan Robertson.
RACE/SPORT MANAGEMENT AS WITH THE VAIL VALLEY’S ANNUAL WORLD CUP EVENTS, on-hill race preparation and coordination were largely coordinated by the Vail and Beaver Creek Race Departments, while team services were orchestrated by the LOC. The 2015 World Championships were fortunate to have long-standing and experienced Vail Resorts personnel on both Men’s and Women’s race courses in Beaver Creek and the Golden Peak Nations Team course in Vail, which provided for a smooth operational process and exceptional racing conditions. Team wax cabins were located within 1-2 kilometers of team/ service accommodations, with additional cabins available for purchase for $1,000. The consensus was that if possible, a large wax cabin complex should be constructed out of modular containers, rather than the convenience of cabins located in well ventilated garages and meeting rooms. Training was managed by Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, with locations on both Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains. A club representative was responsible for taking advanced training bookings, while also being present at each Team Captains Meeting for daily bookings. Ski Testing was conducted at Eagle’s Nest in Vail, with 4-5 lanes and rapid rotation on people-mover cats. The testing involved three 2-hour sessions each day from January 29 to February 9. Weather services were provided by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, while sport radio control for on-course communications was provided by Telecomm Sportservices AG. Team meals were facilitated in a combination of hotels, restaurants, private homes with youth and professional chefs and on-mountain in Beaver Creek. A separate budget was created for all team meals of $65 per person per day for a total of 16 days. Teams were assigned based on the closest meal location to their lodging, with an average of 1,000 people served per day.
Photos by Logan Robertson.
SECURITY THE 2015 SECURITY AND SAFETY COMMITTEE was formed with representation from local and state agencies having jurisdiction for three primary 2015 AWSC venues. Those agencies included Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Private Security, Public Health and Emergency Management. Thirteen working groups were formed with strong functional knowledge in the areas of venues, logistics, intelligence/counter terrorism, critical infrastructure protection, explosive device detection & management, credentialing, tactical/counter surveillance, dignitary protection, planning, traffic operations, interagency communications, information, and legal. The regional response plan for the 2015 Championships was based on the Incident Command System and a unified command model, comprised of the Major from the Colorado State Patrol, the Sheriff of Eagle County, the Police Chief of Vail and the CEO of the Eagle County Paramedics Service. Branches for Fire, Law, EMS and Public Works were staffed with first responders from 30 federal, state and local agencies. The Event Command Post (ECP) was in operation from 0700 to approximately 2100, or until all official World Championships events had concluded each day. The ECP was staffed by the following functions on each shift: unified command, operations section chief, law, fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) branch chiefs for each discipline, plus planning and logistics personnel. There were representatives from the Colorado National Guard (military), State Office of Emergency Management, State Department of Transportation, Colorado Information Analysis Center (intelligence) and two public safety radio communicators. Traffic control was handled by the Colorado State Patrol (State Police), with assistance from local law enforcement officers and the Colorado Department of Transportation. In the large parking lots, Spectator Service volunteers actually parked the vehicles to ensure that the maximum numbers of cars could be parked in each lot in an organized manner. A “See Something/Say Something� Campaign was invaluable in training the community to call law enforcement when sighting a suspicious activity or unattended bag. An alert community can directly thwart potential security threats and over 2,000 volunteers and citizens were trained in this program. Bag checks for prohibited items were conducted by paid security staff prior to all spectators entering World Championships venues.
Cross-functional security professionals and volunteers helped the Championships to happen without any hiccups. Photos by Logan Robertson.
SOCIAL IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE FESTIVAL EVENTS, the LOC also hosted five special social events for designated participants during the two weeks of the Championships. These included the FIS Gala (February 5), Donor Party (February 8), Media and Broadcast Party (February 9), Legends Banquet (February 11) and the Volunteer Appreciation Party (February 17). Additional smaller social events hosted during the Championships included a Club 2015 Donor Party, an Opening Ceremony After Party, a dinner for FIS, USOC, USSA and LOC and a Broadcast Thank You Party.
SPONSOR SERVICES TRIDEM SPORTS SERVED AS THE MARKETING AGENCY for rights holder EBU, selling all international sponsoring packages, including Audi as the main sponsor of the Championships. Other international sponsors included Helvetia, Deichmann, Liqui Moly, Raiffeisen, Longines, J. Lindeberg. In 2012, the LOC contracted for the right to sell domestic sponsorship rights from Tridem/EBU, with the LOC responsible for selling managing the National Sponsor, Official Supplier and Community Sponsorship programs. Five National Sponsors and 25 Official Supplier partners signed up for packages to be an exclusive partner with their business category associated with the Championships. Vail Resorts, The Town of Vail and Beaver Creek were also key partners. The LOC also obtained the rights for merchandising from EBU in 2012, at the same time the LOC and Tridem/EBU contracted for the domestic sponsorship rights. The LOC subsequently outsourced these merchandising rights to a specialised retail company, O’Bos Enterprises. The merchandising was widely available in multiple retail stores in Vail and Beaver Creek in the years leading up to and during the Championships. It could also be purchased online. The range of products was very well suited to the local market, with casual clothing and accessories, and it was seen extensively in the years before the Championships, allowing it to have a strong promotional impact.
Photos by Logan Robertson.
TECHNOLOGY SAFARI TELECOM WAS SELECTED BY THE LOC as the dedicated telecom/internet solutions provider for the 2015 Championships. Their service included the complimentary public-facing Wi-Fi in Red Tail Stadium (1mbs up/1mbs down). In the months prior to the start of the World Championships, an extensive cellular network upgrade was completed on Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains, including robust cellular coverage in the Red Tail Stadium, Talons Media Center and International Broadcast Center. Known as the “American Tower Project”, the system featured “agnostic” coverage, provided by Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T. All carriers were broadcasting on 3G and 4G/LTE, with a strong signal and data performance for media, broadcasters and spectators in the Red Tail Stadium. From an internet perspective, CenturyLink installed a Mobile Central Office (MCO) in the IBC. Via privately owned dark fiber, the MCO was interconnected with Century/ Link data and voice networks on the valley floor, which allowed the provider to deliver all primary data and voice requirements for the Championships through the MCO. Data included a burstable 1GigE internet circuit and multiple OC192 circuits for the worldwide delivery of the television feeds. Free basic internet WiFi service (a minimum of 3mbs up/3mbs down) was provided to the media in the Talons Media Center, with expanded bandwidth available via the rate card. Enhanced services included 5mbs up/5mbs down ($1,500), 10mbs up/10mbs down ($2,000) and 20 mbs up/20mbs down ($2,500). The Westin Media Center was able to provide 7mbs up/7mbs down at no charge through the existing hotel WiFi system, while the Manor Vail Media Center featured free WiFi through their internal system at 5mbs up/5mbs down. The LOC identified five locations on the Men’s and Women’s courses to provide wireless hot spots for the on-course photographers, with each position having a restricted SSID and password for photo use only to reduce traffic and potential transmission slow-downs. The American Tower Project also dramatically helped the on-course photographers as well as there was top-to-bottom LTE coverage on both race courses. A total of 10 miles of internet cabling was installed in the Red Tail Stadium finish arena. In addition, the LOC hardwired 20 positions for the main photo agencies on the photo platform in the finish area. The system provided free 3mbs up/3mbs down V-lan service for the swift transmission of images. Free WiFi was also available to photographers on the Golden Peak course in Vail and Championships Plaza at Solaris in Vail Village.
Upgrades in connectivity allowed for a seamless exchange of information, including continual mobile updates through the official 2015 app (downloaded by ~75% of event attendees) Photos by Logan Robertson.
TRANSPORTATION THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING for the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships was developed and managed by members of the Municipal Services Committee, which was comprised of at least one managing member of the numerous transit groups within the Vail Valley, including Town of Avon, Eagle Country Transit (ECO), Beaver Creek Village Transportation and Vail Transit, in addition to members of other groups representing the Beaver Creek Resort Company, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Metro District and others. The LOC also hired the Epic International /Epic Sports Marketing group to help manage and run the daily operation of the Audi VIP Car Service. Under the direction of the Transportation Manager, Epic provided oversight for all Birds of Prey World Cup operations related to VIP car service in December of 2014, prior to transitioning in to managing the large scale VIP car service needed during the World Championships. There were a total of approximately 200 volunteer drivers during the event that drove the mixed fleet of cars that numbered nearly 90 vehicles. Audi supplied a total of 48 vehicles, which were paid for by the LOC. The fleet of Audi’s was comprised almost entirely of Q7’s, which is Audi’s largest vehicle, offering a third row of seating. We also had use of several All Road’s and an A8. The overall car fleet also included 25 rental cars that were donated to the LOC and used during the event, along with 17 12-passenger vans from Colorado Mountain Express. The Transportation Committee estimated that the VIP car service facilitated approximately 4,300 trips during the course of the Championships. During the annual Birds of Prey World Cup events at Beaver Creek, race-specific public bus routes are handled entirely through the local transit groups of Beaver Creek Village Transportation, Vail Transit and Eagle County Transit. For the World Championships, however, the LOC added more bus routes and needed additional buses for the increased ridership expected on the existing routes. All routes throughout the Vail Valley, with the exception to Eagle County’s regularly scheduled service, were free to the public. The bus service experienced the biggest numbers during the first week of the Championships, with the Race Finish Route transporting approximately 68,000 guests, while the parking lot shuttles carried approximately 100,000 guests and the Vail/Beaver Creek Express carried over 9,000 guests. During the course of the two weeks of the event, the Race Finish Route carried a total of almost 115,000 guests, while the parking lot shuttles carried around 175,000 and the Vail/BC Express carried over 16,000. In addition, ECO reported carrying just under 10,000 total media/press members on the Westin Media Shuttle.
Photos by Zach Mahone and Shannon Muench.
VIP DONOR SERVICES IN ADDITION to the traditional revenue sources, the LOC was fortunate enough to also have a unique revenue opportunity due to the nonprofit status of the Vail Valley Foundation, with the 2015 VIP Donor Program delivering $7.5 million to the budget from 500 families that subscribed to one of six donor levels. These donor programs ranged from $215 to $200,000, with benefits also tied to the level of donation, including Platinum, Gold or Silver hospitality access, Audi VIP car service, invitations to social events, exclusive apparel, skis and opportunities to ski with former Olympians and World Champions.
VOLUNTEERS OVER 2,200 VOLUNTEERS generously gave of their time and talents to help produce the 2015 Championships, working in 31 different areas of the event. With a required commitment of 60 hours during the course of the Championships, the 15er volunteer Corps logged a total of 175,000 hours, with most working an average of eight hours a day for an average of 10 days. In addition to an up close and personal experience with the Championships, the volunteers were rewarded for their efforts with the J. Lindeberg event uniform, meals during shifts, a post-event letter of recognition from the Colorado State Legislature and a post-event Appreciation Party. Lodging was provided to 150 out of town Race volunteers via 85 local community hosts via the 2015 Homestay Program.
Photos by Logan Robertson.
YOUTH THE 2015 YOUTH COMMITTEE worked with the Vail Valley community, Eagle County Schools and other youth-serving agencies to develop programs, curriculum and lesson plans that tied the Championships to local children’s lives. The Committee also developed opportunities for all children in Colorado to participate in the World Championships. These programs included Youth Activation, the 2015 Lesson Plan Resource Guide, the Colorado Children’s Chorale, the Dream It Team and an Internship Program. All youth activation activities were developed to create opportunities for children in Colorado to participate in the World Championships, both in school and out of school, as well as to provide a fun place for kids and families to go during the races. The program enabled a total of 4,500 students to attend the World Championships competitions throughout the two weeks of the event, while also coordinating athlete visits to schools, facilitating the 2015 Kids Fun Zone, coordinating Behind the Scenes experiences for 17 students and working with 22 schools on the Adopt a Country initiative. Teachers across the state of Colorado submitted lesson plans in order to provide educators with the opportunity to integrate the World Ski Championships theme into their instructional activities. Lessons ranged from elementary, middle and high schools levels, and covered a variety of academic disciplines applied to their daily academics. A total of 29 lesson plans were submitted and utilized throughout the state, as well as other states via the online portal that generated 1,545 views. The Colorado Children’s Chorale was contracted to sing all national anthems at awards ceremonies, learning over 14 national anthems, while traveling throughout Eagle County for 18 additional performances in various schools. The choir of 36 children also performed at Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The 2015 Dream It Team was made up of current podium racers from Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, with team members serving as ambassadors for 2015 through a team blog and special event appearances. Created in 2013, the 43 members of the Dream It Team made five appearances during the two weeks of the Championships. Finally, the internships created an opportunity for students to experience what it took to plan for a world-class event. The students had the opportunity to work as a team, learn new career trades and receive professional development. A total of nine interns were placed with members of the LOC prior to the event, serving throughout the Championships.
Nearly 9,000 members of the local youth participated in programs leading up to the Championships and 1,000’s more attended the events, adding to the excitement and energy levels. Photos by Logan Robertson.
2015 FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEDALISTS Men’s Downhill, February 7 Patrick Kueng, SUI Travis Ganong, USA Beat Feuz, SUI
Men’s Super-G, February 5 Hannes Reichelt, AUT Dustin Cook, CAN Adrien Theaux, FRA
Men’s Alpine Combined, February 8 Marcel Hirscher, AUT Kjetil Jansrud, NOR Ted Ligety, USA
Men’s Giant Slalom, February 13 Ted Ligety, USA Marcel Hirscher, AUT Alexis Pinturault, FRA
Men’s Slalom, February 15 Jean Baptiste Grange, FRA Fritz Dopfer, GER Felix Neureuther, GER
Photos by Logan Robertson.
2015 FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEDALISTS Ladies’ Downhill, February 6 Tina Maze, SLO Anna Fenninger, AUT Lara Gut, SUI
Ladies’ Super-G, February 3 Anna Fenninger, AUT Tina Maze, SLO Lindsey Vonn, USA
Ladies’ Alpine Combined, February 9 Tina Maze, SLO Nicole Hosp, AUT Michaela Kirchgasser, AUT
Ladies’ Giant Slalom, February 12 Anna Fenninger, AUT Viktoria Rebensburg, GER Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, SWE
Ladies’ Slalom, February 14 Mikaela Shiffrin, USA Frida Hansdotter, SWE Sarka Strachova, CZE
Photos by Logan Robertson.
2015 FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEDALISTS Nations Team Event, February 10 Austria Canada Sweden
Photos by Logan Robertson.
P.O. Box 309 Vail, Colorado 81658 970.777.2015 phone 888.883.8245 toll free 970.949.9265 fax VVF.ORG