[PostManPat]

I have to write some thing up for english on the good side and bad side of an event. So what event is bigger than the Olympics. Only problem is my brain shut off and i need a reboot. I'd appreciate if you could just throw some ideas my way.

Hosting Olympics, Good Side and Bad Side?

[Thematic-Device]

Good sides:

-Construction Contracts
-Massive Influx of Business
-Influx of Tourists (and their money)
-Lasting infrastructure
-World Prominence
-World Wide Tourism Campaign
-Jobs, lots of Jobs

Bad Sides:

-Security Risks
-Influx of Tourists (strain on infrastructure)
-Large Costs
-Many of the benefits are short lived, except for the infrastructure which now needs to be maintained
-Having to bus the bums out of the city lest they reflect badly on ones city (Atlanta)
-Having to carpool so that the cameras can actually see the mountains for the tourism campaign rather then a sickly yellow smog (LA)
-City Beautification Projects which ordinarily would be too good for your citizens (and then they'll probably want to keep them around)
-Foreigners Don't Tip

[bootlegga]

I thinjk if they are managed right, they can be a boon to the host city.

If you compare Edmonton and Calgary, Calgary gained a fantastic transportation network due to the 1988 Games. Because of it, the federal and provincial governments poured hundreds of millions into its LRT (subway) and road network. The result is Calgary has four train lines and plenty of highways to speed traffic around. In Edmonton, it is the reverse, one crappy line and no North/South highway and plenty of lights/intersections on the Yellowhead. Our Ring road won't be finished until at least 2012, but more likely 2015.

Of course you have the other end of the spectrum like the Montreal Games that are still costing the host city money (Olympic stadium gets paid off this year!).

I think Vancouver has the potential to really gain from the 2010 Games, as long as costs are managed properly.

[BartSimpson]

The difference in effect between the Montreal games and the Calgary games can be found in the differences between Quebec and Alberta. The Albertans viewed the games as an opportunity and an investment and the Quebecers, by their very nature, saw the games as some sort of entitlement...something to be squandered.

That effect repeats itself around the world.

Lake Placid, Squaw Valley, Innsbruck, Melbourne, Sydney, Barcelona, are all doing well as a result of the games spurring development.

Athens, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Rome received virtually no benefit from the games.

In this light, I expect the diligent and progressive minded BC-ers to manage the games in a positive way and I expect them to make the most of the fantastic facilities already in place at Whistler.

My wife and I are already planning on attending the Vancouver games and the opening ceremony.

[xerxes]

There is one other potential con: lack of interest. Barely any of the events are selling out in Torino and that looks bad on TV. Most of the people in Torino are watching Juventus clinch another scudetto.

[PostManPat]

woo, thanks guys, that really helped