Academic admits Olympic benefits remain unknown
With three years to go before the 2010 Olympics, the long term benefits of hosting the Winter Games are still unknown. Promises of economic prosperity may be limited.
UBC Professor Emeritus Mark Thompson has studied the impact of previous Olympics. He says supporters and opponents always disagree on whether the two-week celebration of sport is money well-spent, “Almost every Olympics runs a deficit. If that’s the mark of success, you know, we’re in for some rude surprises, but if the Games run well, that’s another measure of success.”Thompson says the groups standing to gain the most are the construction and hospitality industries, but he warns there could be labour unrest in the months leading up to the Games.
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