Accueillir les Jeux olympiques : est-ce vraiment une bonne affaire ?

Summary

Hosting the Olympics is a costly affair, with the host country incurring expenses for operational costs, infrastructure, and security. Organizers anticipate significant economic benefits, including short-term boosts from visitor spending and long-term gains from increased tourism. However, accurately measuring these economic impacts is challenging, and past Olympics have often resulted in budget overruns and underused facilities. The 2024 Paris Olympics, with a projected budget of €6.8 billion, aims for a controlled expenditure, but the true economic legacy remains uncertain.

Takeaways

• 🏅 Hosting the Olympics is seen as a significant event with both economic opportunities and potential drawbacks.
• 🌐 The Olympics occur every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games, attracting thousands of international athletes.
• 💰 Organizing countries hope for substantial economic benefits, but the costs of hosting are often high.
• 📊 Before the event, the organizing committee commissions studies to estimate costs and expected economic impacts.
• 🏟️ Costs include operational expenses, organization and security, transportation, accommodation, and salaries, as well as construction or renovation of sports and non-sports infrastructure.
• 🚧 Some costs are often excluded, such as dismantling temporary facilities and security outside the venues, which opponents argue should be included.
• 📈 The realized budget is typically two to three times higher than the initial projection, leading to financial imbalances.
• 🌐 Short-term economic benefits are related to increased activity during the Olympic year, such as spending by foreign spectators and organizers.
• 💼 Long-term economic benefits, over 10 to 20 years, are harder to quantify and may include increased tourism, though other factors can also influence this.
• 🏛️ For Paris 2024, the estimated costs are €6.8 billion, with operational costs at €3.8 billion and infrastructure at €3 billion, while economic benefits are projected between €5.3 and €10.7 billion from 2010 to 2034.
• 🌎 The economic balance of previous Olympics has often been negative, with some countries risking economic imbalance to host, as seen with Brazil during Rio 2016.
• 🏗️ Paris and its region are planning to use 15% of existing infrastructure to mitigate costs and avoid issues like abandoned facilities, aiming for a controlled budget.

Q & A

What are the economic opportunities and challenges of hosting the Olympic Games?

Hosting the Olympic Games can provide significant economic opportunities such as increased tourism, infrastructure development, and international exposure. However, it also presents challenges like high costs, potential budget overruns, and the risk of leaving unused or underutilized infrastructure post-event.

How often are the Olympic Games held, and what are the two types?

The Olympic Games are held every two years, alternating between the Summer and Winter Olympics, gathering thousands of international athletes for about twenty days of competition.

What does the organizing committee do to estimate the economic impact of the Games?

The organizing committee commissions predictive studies to list expected costs and economic benefits. These studies include operational costs, construction or renovation of sports and non-sports infrastructure, and the impact of hosting the Games on the local economy.

What are some of the operational costs included in the budget for hosting the Olympic Games?

Operational costs include organization and security for the events, transportation and catering for participants, salaries for committee members, and construction or renovation of sports facilities like stadiums or pools, as well as non-sports infrastructure like the Olympic Village and media centers.

Why do opponents argue that certain expenses should be included in the Olympic Games budget?

Opponents argue that expenses such as the dismantling of temporary installations, site cleaning, and security outside the venues should be included in the budget as they are part of the direct costs associated with hosting the Games.

What is the average discrepancy between the initial budget and the final realized cost of hosting the Olympic Games?

On average, the final realized cost of hosting the Olympic Games is two to three times higher than the initial budget.

What are the short-term economic benefits of hosting the Olympic Games?

Short-term economic benefits include the additional activity generated by the Games in the host country during the Olympic year, mainly related to the spending of foreign spectators on accommodation, food, and the construction of temporary infrastructure.

How are long-term economic benefits from hosting the Olympic Games measured?

Long-term economic benefits, which are difficult to quantify, are measured over a period of 10 to 20 years starting from the Games' allocation. They may include increased tourism and other economic impacts, although isolating the exact influence of the Games on these factors can be complex.

What is the estimated budget for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

The estimated budget for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is 6.8 billion euros, with 3.8 billion euros for operational costs and 3 billion euros for infrastructure and improvements.

What are the estimated economic benefits for Paris 2024 over the period from 2010 to 2034?

The estimated economic benefits for Paris 2024 are between 5.3 and 10.7 billion euros over the period from 2010 to 2034.

What are some of the risks associated with hosting the Olympic Games, as seen in past events?

Past events have shown risks such as budget overruns, infrastructure abandonment, and potential economic imbalances for the host country, as seen with Rio 2016 in Brazil.

How do the organizers of the Paris and Los Angeles Games plan to manage their budgets?

The organizers of the Paris and Los Angeles Games defend a controlled budget, with 15% of the infrastructure already existing, aiming to avoid the pitfalls seen in previous Olympic Games.