The Cost Of Staging The Olympic Games-Part Two

We conclude with our 2nd part of the Rising Costs To Host the Olympic Games from the Bleachers. Apart from hosting the games, the cost of maintaining the inherited facilities can be an even greater burden over time. Just ask the Jamaican government about the stadium in Trelawney, which is now proving to be an unwanted gift from the 2007 world cup in the Caribbean.

However, for some countries, hosting the games symbolize progress on the world stage. Hence, the likes of Russia, China, and Brazil, often make a pitch to cover for their alleged human rights violations, even at a great burden to its citizens.

Housing and transportation see significant improvements as a result of hosting the event. But, given the benefit of hindsight, the citizens in Athens, Greece, would have taken fewer hotel rooms around the city and few more hours in traffic instead of the economic ruins they now endure for entertaining the world in 2004. Only the 1996 games in Los Angeles have managed a surplus in the last 52 years. It might yet be the only one unless the games are awarded directly to cities already with the necessary infrastructure, which would then eliminate the expense of having to bid for the event.

In 1976, protesters in Denver, Colorado, forced the city to reject the winter games after they won the bid. City officials would later admit it was the right move as the cost would have outweighed the benefits.

To this day, Denver remains the only city to have rejected games after it was awarded. However, they might not be alone for long. 

More than a year ago, Oslo – Norway, And Stockholm -Sweden, withdrew their bids to host the 2022 games due to concerns over rising costs.