Richmond Olympic Oval officials and city staff are urging council to invest up to $21.6 million to outfit the Olympic facility in 2010.

"If you look at the asset we have over there, council may say no, but we have an obligation to look at what it would take to really maximize the full potential of that asset, as opposed to leaving it unrealized," said George Duncan, the city's chief administrative officer.

Staff are seeking approval to drain what's left of an original $16-million post-Games conversion budget—about half has already been spent—spend another $1.7 million and use whatever cash is leftover from the oval construction budget on $3.9 million worth of equipment and oval extras.

On Monday, civic politicians demanded more information from staff before approving any budget changes to the post-Games plan.

Duncan argued building all the proposed post-Games extras into the oval at the same time saves money and would attract new customers.

"For the community use that we will establish after the Olympics, I'm not looking to give them more of the same. What I want to know is can we give them a more diverse offering for the community so that people who might not be compelled to use the oval now would have a reason to go there."

Duncan's administration landed the rights to build the oval in 2004. The project is expected to come under-budget by as much as $3 million.

If council approves the new spending, the Richmond Oval Corporation would have nearly enough cash to pay for everything on its wish list. Whatever can't be paid for now would be requested in future budget years, according to staff.

Staff want all conversion projects lined up for installation long before the Vancouver Organizing Committee's exclusive use period ends April 1, 2010.

"The quicker we can turn this building over after the games, the better," said Greg Scott, director of major projects, noting one of the first projects will be to remove the ice and install new flooring material.

A staff report offers few details about the proposed extras.

Coun. Bill McNulty said he wants to see a business plan for each item.

"We need to be cautious. We've already given them $16 million for the conversion, and these things are extra, and why they can't fit them into the $16 million?"

McNulty noted that partitions and curtains were part of the original budget, but now they're not—and staff still believes they're a priority.

Coun. Greg Halsey-Brandt was also cautious about agreeing to more spending.

"I think it's a bit much to give it to the first customer in the door."

Among the extras is a $300,000 facelift for the oval's legacy suite—a mid-construction addition to the oval, and built with basic design, said Duncan.

"If you want to generate the maximum revenue potential that that suite could generate, the potential demand for renting it is very high—even now the interest is incredible."

Another proposed extra is a $350,000 children's play place, something close to the heart of oval general manager John Mills. The project would help build "physical literacy" in young children and establish a new market for young people.

"We saw that as one thing that could complement community sport and high performance sport and really add a full continuum for all ages to enjoy the oval."

As for the $1.1 million requested for partitions and curtains to separate playing surfaces, staff say that was originally part of the budget, but taken out to accommodate construction of the anti-doping lab.

Once complete, the post-2010 oval will have three zones on its main floor: two ice rinks, hardwood courts and an athletics zone, which will feature a 110-metre sprint track. The oval's fitness centre will also be tripled in size to 25,000 square feet.

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Proposed oval spending within budget

•Flooring, including spike-proof athletic zone ($3.21 million)

•Fitness equipment, including rinks, boars, nets, cardio, conditioning ($2.49 million)

•Signs, security, audio-video ($1.47 million)

•Completion of mezzanine fitness centre ($830,000)

•Elevator in field of play ($720,000)

Proposed oval extras

•Partitions and curtains to separate playing surfaces ($1.1 million)

•Play space for children ($350,000)

•Climbing wall ($250,000)

•Daycare ($250,000)

•Batting cages ($175,000)

•Display of oval history ($150,000)

•1,000 retractable seats for events ($400,000)

•Big screen ($300,000)

•Protective covering for sport surfaces for special events ($360,000)

•Legacy Suite decor ($300,000)

•Outside tents ($50,000)

•Golf driving nets and virtual golf ($60,000)

•Portable squash courts ($400,000)

-300 chairs for theatre style configuration for events ($45,000)

•Executive locker rooms ($450,000)

•Heavy curtains/blackout drapes for entertainment events ($500,000)

•Artificial turf ($500,000)

* Items ranked by priority

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