Nine Metro Vancouver municipalities will collectively spend close to $1 million in local and federal funding to attract 100 international business representatives to Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. The Metro Vancouver 2010 Partnership Investment Program will entice potential investors to the city with an all-expenses-paid, four-day itinerary, including accommodation, meals and attendance at Olympic events. The visiting business people will pay their own way to and from Vancouver. The municipalities paid $20,000 each to participate in the program, while the federal government kicked in about $805,000 in Western Economic Diversification funding. "It's a heck of an opportunity to showcase our city," said Mantra Venture Group president Larry Kristof, whose Vancouver-based green technology firm will participate in the program. "Bringing business people and politicians together and visiting different sites during the Olympics will be extremely useful." He said Mantra has invited international business partners from Korea and the U.S. to visit Vancouver for four days during the Games. The nine participating communities are Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver City, North Vancouver District, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey and Vancouver. Program officials haven't nailed down a precise attendance list yet, but expect one or two representatives from 50 to 70 global companies to visit Vancouver during the Games. The program targets clean-industry sectors, including green and high-tech companies that are strong candidates to be future investors in Metro Vancouver. The firms' potential as future investors was determined after consulting with governments, industry associations, financial institutions and other contacts. Criteria included a company's potential to open an office in the region, create employment, the level of investment, and the timing of their entry into the Metro Vancouver market. While in Vancouver, the visiting entrepreneurs will attend receptions and meetings with government and business leaders, tour Olympic venues and regional sites and attractions, and attend Olympic events and activities. Literature describing the program says the delegate schedule will be business-focused with a very high business-to-business content. "Interspersed with the business program will be Olympic experiences with sporting events and venue tours," it states. "The remaining duration will be set aside for [business-to-business] meetings, tours, site visits, business brokering and events with B.C. leaders and businesses." The program spent more than $30,000 to obtain nearly 100 tickets to Olympic events. International visitors will arrive in Vancouver in five waves of 20 people at a time and will stay at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in downtown Vancouver, a new 200-room hotel scheduled to open this winter. The program was developed by Metro Vancouver Commerce, a pro-business consortium of the nine municipalities that is not connected with the Metro Vancouver regional district. bconstantineau@vancouversun.com