What happens to cities after the Olympics

[Smartmarzipan]

What Happens To An Olympic City After The Olympics?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/20 ... e-olympics

What they've found, of course, varies from city to city.

Barcelona, the host of the 1992 Summer Games, is often cited as an example of relatively good investment, Pack explains.

"They did 50 years of infrastructure improvements in the five years leading up to the games," he says, and to this day, many of the venues are still being used.

On the other hand, Athens, the venue for the 2004 Summer Games, has allowed many of the venues to fall into disrepair and they are fenced off from the public.

And then there was Sarajevo, where the 1984 Winter Games were held, where Pack literally had to traipse around active land mines left from the Bosnian War.

"The questions a city has to ask itself are: Is this really necessary? And who's gonna benefit from all this development? Everyone likes to have a great party," says Hustwit. "But after two weeks ... I think it's a different reality for the people who live there."

I really hope the Olympics never come to my neck of the woods.

[Poison Tree]

Denver/Colorado was awarded the 1976 winter Olympics, but the populace voted not to raise taxes to pay the massive and increasing cost (and some had worries about environmental impact) so the Olympics went back to Innsbruck. I think Coloradans made the right choice. I've driven past some of the (mostly empty) venues from the St Lake City Olympics, and we certainly don't need decades older version of that blighting the scenery.

[SGOS]

How about if they built one whoppin'  Olympics venue in a permanent place, and just stayed with that one.  It could be in Athens.  I keep hearing about cities losing money long term on hosting the Olympics.  Spend 5 years getting ready for one gala wing ding that lasts a week, and then it's over.  It the way a teenager would budget money.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

City managers and planners are seduced into believing it'll bring in needed revenue, but they foot the bill on tax dollars and meanwhile most of the locals never see any of the games, but the big motel and hotel chains make out like raped apes and housekeeping departments get overworked and underpaid and most of the city gets the hangover..

[gussy]

Rumors are out that Brazil doesn't want to host the 2014 World Cup.  They don't have the money or the infrastructure for it.  The riots are getting worse and and safety has become a huge concern.  USA is the proposed backup site if they do back out.  They also have the 2016 Summer Olympics to worry about.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Rumor has it Brazil is falling apart at the seams.. :-k
However, deliciousbrazil.tumblr.com is NSFW and frankly a wonderful site having utterly nothing to do with this subject. :)

[Shiranu]

Rumors are out that Brazil doesn't want to host the 2014 World Cup.  They don't have the money or the infrastructure for it.  The riots are getting worse and and safety has become a huge concern.  USA is the proposed backup site if they do back out.  They also have the 2016 Summer Olympics to worry about.

They cant afford to build the people smooth roads, clean water systems or a decent education system... but they can drop $50 billion on stadiums and other infrastructure for the world cup?

I think Brazil is an amazing place for the world cup in theory, but I think any celebration of this sort should be held in a place that can economically afford it and support it (Germany, England, maybe Spain, Italy, France... not 3rd world nations [as most of Brazil is]).

[AllPurposeAtheist]

People there got REALLY pissed when they began ripping up their homes to build the stadiums.. but as in so many places gentrification can get really ugly.