VANOC takes notes By BOB MACKIN -- 24 Hours Vancouver

Torino's ticketing troubles were on the mind of the CEO of the next Winter Olympics as the 2006 Olympics ended.

Vancouver 2010's John Furlong said there won't be as many empty seats for the XXIst Winter Games in less than four years.

"I spoke the other day to (TOROC president) Mr. (Valentino) Castellani about his feelings about the Games, he did make a comment that he would've liked to have found a way with getting a person into every seat," Furlong said. "There probably wasn't enough desire to do that."

Torino has been marked by thousands of empty seats at venues. A year ago, 1.5 million ticket sales were projected. The figure was downgraded to 1 million and organizers struggled to sell 900,000.

Tickets purchased, but not used, by corporate sponsors are another problem VANOC hopes to avoid.

"Being such a strong winter sport country with selling tickets we don't expect it will be a problem," said David Cobb, VANOC's senior vice president of revenue, marketing and communications. "If we don't sell out everything we will, to some, degree fail."

Furlong declined to comment on TOROC's security operations, other than to say the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was observing.

"It's the one thing we're not in a position today to give a more detailed answer on."

Furlong said VANOC would begin a cross-country promotional tour in March.