Choice of London as host city for Olympics
By BigCat71
@BigCat71 (10)
United States
August 11, 2012 5:03pm CST
I meant to post this topic before the start of this year's Summer Games. They are coming to a close now. A few bumps were experienced, but it turned out quite well. I still take issue with the selection of London as host city.
We've all heard of London. Whenever we hear a global development, whether it's a news story or some kind of promotion, quite often we hear an English accent. Located at the center of the world, London seems most synonymous with the word "international." It is home to many people from different countries and you hear all sorts of foreign languages, which I guess gave it an advantage as Olympic host.
London is one of those A+ cities where they get the most appreciation and thus, we hear about the most in a positive sense. But the IOC usually likes to have the Games in a different city just about every time, in a place that is new to many of us. I prefer to have it that way. The only exception I would go with is to have the Games in New York, and I don't just say that as an American. London, Paris, and Tokyo (probably will host in 2020) have already hosted the Games, and I feel like the Big Apple deserves its chance.
When Sydney hosted the Games in 2000, I couldn't help but think that Sydney is now the new London and Australia is now the new Great Britain. I felt confirmed in my feeling that the days of older, more famous cities, like London, hosting the Games was a thing of the past and if attempted again, it would be like going backwards (kind of like Shaq and Dwight Howard going from Disney World to Disneyland). Boy was I wrong.
If London had to host the Games in our time, I would have preferred it would have hosted it in the 1980s - the era when Britain was such a force in popular culture with New Wave and one hit wonders dominating Top 40, Live Aid, Thatcher, Charles & Diana.
These Games were nice to watch I have to admit, but we could've used more groundbreaking narratives as opposed to so much Phelps, Bolt, Serena, Lebron, etc. I'm counting down to Rio and hope to go there!
1 person likes this
5 responses
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
12 Aug 12
There is a lot of competition between countries to host these world events, but it is also very difficult to do so. The fact that countries like GB in particular London have infrastructures that can be used, eg metros etc, gives them advantages. Countries like Brazil, first country in South America, are chosen because of not only their plan and games idea but also to allow the games to travel the world. I am happy that the games went off so well, they were well structured and with a few criticisms, they seem well organized and structured. I hope the final ceremony is fun too.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
12 Aug 12
New York may not have hosted the games but USA has, 4 times Britain only 3.
As a Brit I am sure glad we did not host the games in the time of that vandal Thatcher
all the best urban
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
12 Aug 12
It is really a major pitch that gets the cities Olympic games these days. Either they need to sell a concept of being different like what Australia and Beijing did. Or they need to sell the concept of history which Greece and England did. Let's see what Rio offers in this context.
As far as Big Apple hosting another game, it might be some time before this fructifies. The reason is that already US has hosted maximum Olympic Games with 4 so far. So I believe they will be a bit lower in the pecking order currently.
Cheers!
Ram
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
12 Aug 12
I think London has proved its point by choosing some stunning locations for events. The equestrian events in Greenwich Park, the triathlon in Hyde Park and Hampton Court for the cycling road races were inspired choices which allowed people all over the world to see more of the city. More important, though, is the regeneration of the East End of the city. People will benefit from that long after all the athletes have departed.
@Freeman229 (202)
•
12 Aug 12
I tihnk London as done a suberb job with the olympics this year, and I beleive if you asked the athletes they would agree with me on that, the faciltites have been top notch, and its not only london that has had a chance to host olypic events but other venues too.
Weymouth (a smallish seaside resort) has hosted much of the sailing which I'm sure will help them atleast in the short term in terms of tourism. Numeral stadiums across the country have hosted football games, I believe venues in scotland and wales have even been used.
So yes not only has London had slice of the buy, alot of the UK has which I think is great. As for the BBC's coverage, yes they have done great but overall I have big issues with them which I'll cover in another discussion.
The main question now is with the world mostly in some sort of economic distraught, can we (the UK) keep benefiting from the London games from a financial standpoint like the government says we will, alot of time and money has gone into it and I personally would love if we could show something positive from london when the games are finished.
