Olympic Committee Moves to Overcome Its Image and Staff Problems

With 12 months to go, the 1988 Winter Olympics organizing committee is seeking to polish an image tarnished by a ticket fraud scandal, secretive management, perceived cash flow problems and complaints about some venues.

In mid-December, the committee revamped its entire management structure, mostly to improve relations with the public.

“We will be speaking more often and more directly to the public,” newly appointed committee chief Frank King said. “We’ve had our head down, because we’ve been doing more work of a business-like nature.”

The board gave King, formerly the volunteer chairman, the additional salaried post of chief executive officer. King, 49, a businessman, took over the role of most visible official from committee President Bill Pratt, 58.

Pratt, who had run Calgary’s huge annual rodeo, the Stampede, was described as “abrasive, but a man who got things done--a construction man, kind of macho ,” by one committee official who asked to remain anonymous.

The changes were overdue, according to an editorial in the Calgary Herald. “(The organizing committee) has done little to dissuade Calgarians of the notion that it’s a closed club of bumblers who think they can operate under different rules from the rest of society,” the paper said.

In applauding the new attitude at the committee, the paper said, “At last, the people of this city can feel as if their voice is being heard.”

Board meetings will now be open to the public, except when discussing security, personnel, negotiations or protocol. The committee had twice rejected the idea of open board meetings.

King said he also planned to smooth relations with the media by appointing a special media liaison, reporting directly to him. Additionally, seven vice presidents were added to improve operations.

The most pressing problems concern ticketing, sites and staffing.

The committee was dealt a major blow when ticket manager James McGregor was arrested in October and charged with fraud. He is due to go to trial early this year.

Police said a private company owned by McGregor had distributed false Olympic ticket order forms in the United States at the same time as the genuine forms went out from organizing committee headquarters. He was fired after the arrest and those who had sent in the false forms were given a special priority. A new ticket manager, Jim Hobart, was named in December.

“No, (the McGregor incident) is not good for your image,” King said, adding that he felt the committee gained points for handling the affair “forthrightly and efficiently.”

The question of how many tickets are available to the public is less easy to handle. Angry letters began appearing in newspapers after the committee said about half the seats at two events--speed skating and some medal-round hockey--would go to Olympic insiders, corporate sponsors and the media.

“There was a wrong number that got into the media--that 50% of all tickets were going to the Olympic family,” King said. “That number was distorted.”

Out of the 1.7 million tickets available for the 138 events to be held Feb. 13-28, about 77% is available to the public, King said. As of late December, 38 events had been sold out, including the opening and closing ceremonies, all figure skating and all speed skating.

King said the committee is looking at adding extra seats at some of the sites, such as the Saddledome, the arena that will host hockey and figure skating.

A couple of other sites have been criticized as inadequate. Mount Allen, site of the alpine skiing competition, recently received tentative approval by the International Ski Federation, subject to $150,000 to $200,000 of improvements.

The mountain, about 60 miles west of Calgary, was said to be too steep at the top, too flat at the bottom and too devoid of snow before the runs were changed and snow-making equipment was installed. The province of Alberta has already spent $25.3 million (Canadian) developing Mount Allen.

At the ski jumping site, competitors at an invitational event recently complained that the area was too windy and that screens needed to be installed. But King disputed the claim and although he said, “we will have an event shut down eventually due to wind,” added that the 16-day Olympic schedule gives organizers flexibility to reschedule.

The committee is seeking some financial flexibility from ABC-TV, which has agreed to pay $309 million (American) for U.S. broadcast rights.

It has asked the network for a $50 million Canadian ($36.2 million American) interest-bearing cash advance to cover an expected cash shortfall next spring, when the organization is expected to start large-scale spending. ABC has yet to replay, King said, adding that the committee essentially is asking the network to step up its scheduled payments, due in early 1988, to the spring, when the money is needed.

If ABC says no, the organizers can go to the Canadian government. Olympic officials have also said the committee could seek a loan from one of the Games’ sponsors, the Royal Bank of Canada.