Off the Field

Opening ceremony by numbers

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-02-13 15:51
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Three billion – estimated television viewers worldwide able to watch the opening ceremony

60,600 – filled-to-capacity seating at BC Place Indoor stadium, the venue for the ceremony

45,000 – kilometers. Distance the Olympic Flame traveled across Canada to reach BC Place.

25,000 – kilograms of audio equipment

11,600 – meals orderd for delivery to the stadium to feed everyone during the day

10,050 – liters of water to hand in the stadium

5,000 – In-ear monitors for the performers

4,100 – pairs of shoes

2,050 – volunteers working in the program

1983 – year the BC Place opened

1,054 – Intelligent lighting fixtures, many holding some of the 1,296 LED screen tubes

900 – kilograms the weight of a 16m-high Spirit Bear, the biggest prop on the stage

750 – support volunteers within and around the BC Place

450 – Racks of costumes

200 – kilograms, the weight of the stadium’s five Olympic rings, each 7cm in diameter

123 – Meters long cylinder in the center of the arena, displaying changing light projections

100 – fiddlers and 100 drums

36 – rigging points in the 41,480 sqm roof. Below, 1.8km of trusses suspend lights and scenery

21 – average number of rehearsal days donated by each volunteer

17 – Projection screens surrounding the audience in the stadium

13 – snowboards, plus 100 pairs of rollerblade skates and eight skis

2 – artistic directors, David Atkins and Ignatius Jones from Australia