There was good news and bad news at a press conference Monday announcing final plans for the 2008 Ontario Winter Games Monday at the Westin Trillium Hotel in The Village at Blue Mountain.

The good news: there was snow. The bad news: there was snow - so much snow and wind that officials from sport organizations, the provincial Minister of Health Promotion, MP Helena Guergis and MPP Jim Wilson were not able to attend.

Winter weather is good news for the games where 10 of the 23 sports call for snow or ice which organizers hope will still be there for the games, March 6-9 during the March school break.

For those who made it to the resort hotel to show support for the games Monday, there was a spirit of achievement earned on a white-knuckled drive to get there.

And "Spirit of Achievement" is also the theme games, to be held at venues across the Southern Georgian Bay region.

Collingwood, The Blue Mountains, Owen Sound, Clearview, Base Borden, and Wasaga Beach will all be hosting events.

More than 3,500 young athletes, ages 10 to 22 years, will be taking part. A team of 1,000 volunteers will be needed to help organize and present the games.

It's the third time the Ontario Winter Games have been held in this area, the last time being just two years ago.

"This partnership is absolutely a phenomena in modern politics," said games organizing chair Peter Dunbar.

Dunbar said the willingness of the various municipalities to work together on such events is vital to the effort to the region a focal point for winter sports.

"Our not-so-hidden agenda has been to create a great co-operative team in this region," Dunbar added.

The provincial government is providing about $550,000 in funding for the games. Local municipalities along with Blue Mountain Resorts and Canadian Forces Base Borden will be contributing the use of their sports and recreation facilities.

Dunbar said that while the event costs about a million dollars to stage, the games bring in several million dollars in revenue.

"Special events, for this region, is good business," he said.

The main purpose, though, is to offer Ontario's young, developing athletes a chance to compete against the best in the province. Top young athletes from the various regions will make up the teams that will compete here.

"The Ontario government is proud to support these games as part of our commitment to developing amateur athletes who inspire us all to lead active, healthy lives," said Ontario's Minister of Health Promotion Margaret Best in the text of an address she had planned to deliver to the audience.  

The Wasaga Beach RecPlex and Stayner Arena will be among the facilities hosting athletic events for the games.

Games organizers announced that Hamilton-born roots-rock recording artist and internet phenom Jeremy Fisher will headline the opening ceremonies at The Village at Blue Mountain.