Business 101

For enterprising Italians, the Olympics have been a lucrative moneymaking venture. But I am stunned by all of the missed business opportunities.

We’ll be working in the mountains covering events Saturday night, and we may not make it back to Cesana Torinese until nearly 11 pm. I tried to make a late-night reservation at our favorite pizza place in town. They are closing at 11 pm.

In Cesana Torinese the four or five restaurants are packed every night and turn people away. Yet, one restaurant has been closed for the entire Olympics.

I had hoped to mail several work-related materials like reporter’s notebooks, media kits and the like back to my office rather than pack them in my overstuffed suitcase. But the private shipping company’s office in the Main Press Center is closed on Sunday, the last day of the Olympics.

I made it to the sprawling Olympic souvenir store in downtown Turin last Tuesday. But the selection was awful. All the good stuff was gone and hadn’t been replenished.

Where's the Apprentice when you need him?