"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" - Hamlet Act 1, Scene 4,

Something's rotten in the state of Whistler and the stench is emanating directly from municipal hall and the illegal asphalt plant operating in the Olympic Athletes Village.

If Whistler's mayor has his way, post-Olympic tourists will soon be flocking to Whistler to visit its newly expanded 60-acre basalt quarry, logged old growth forests and the world's first Olympic legacy asphalt plant, as the resort positions itself as a key player in the mineral extraction business.

Even though the keys to the Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Athlete Village were turned over to VANOC on October 30, 2009, the tone is less than celebratory for homeowners who purchased homes in Whistler's new housing development - Cheakamus Crossing.

The site will house 3,500 athletes and officials during the games, and will be handed over to local residents after the 2010 Winter Olympics. However, a nearby asphalt plant is threatening to destroy the Whistler "dream."