Aussie firm to produce 2010 Olympic ceremonies

An Australian company will produce the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, Games organizers announced Thursday.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — An Australian company will produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, Games organizers announced Thursday.
    David Atkins Enterprises of Collaroy, New South Wales, also has produced the ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Summer Games and the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 in Qatar.
    ''Our goal is to create spectacular ceremonies of which all Canadians can be proud,'' 2010 organizing committee CEO John Furlong said. ''This incredible team has the proven passion and talent to develop magnificent ceremonies that will celebrate the possible and share our great country with the rest of the world.''
    The ceremonies are among the most-watched events of any Games with a worldwide television audience estimated at 2 billion.
    The choice has the support of the British Columbia's provincial government and the government of Canada.
    Terry Wright, Vancouver's organizing committee (VANOC) vice president of service operations and ceremonies, said the search for a producer was rigorous.
    ''(Atkins) was selected as executive producer based on its expertise and experience,'' Wright said.
    The selection has, however, raised the ire of those who have opposed Vancouver's hosting the Games for years.
    ''B.C. and Vancouver has an enormous amount of talent,'' said Chris Shaw, who spearheaded a campaign against hosting the Olympics. ''Why do they have to go outside?''
    The Atkins team will be leading a group that includes some of the biggest names in the Canadian music industry. Atkins' team will include Bruce Allen, who has managed Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, among others.
    And Sam Feldman, who runs Canada's largest entertainment agency and manages jazz singer Diana Krall, the Canadian wife of singer Elvis Costello, will also be included.
    Dan Fraser of Vancouver's Nettwerk Records will also help out.
    Nettwerk's clients include Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan.   
    Some of the Canadians on the team have worked on the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games, the 1999 Pan American Games, the 1994 Commonwealth Games and Royal Visits.

    — The Associated Press