The curtain has fallen on the PyeongChang Winter Games. Thomas Bach officially declared them over on Sunday evening. He also stated that the South Korean event had “opened new horizons.”
What will remain of it? This question is anything but anecdotal for an Olympic movement more concerned than ever with the notion of legacy. In Rio, the outcome borders on catastrophe. In PyeongChang, the answer is still unclear.
Lee Hee-beom, the president of the organizing committee, assured that the Winter Games would leave no debt. In 17 days, the Games were not marked by any incidents, especially regarding security. According to initial estimates, the Games contributed to a 0.2% growth in the national economy in the first quarter.
Nevertheless, South Korean organizers are struggling to address the IOC’s question about the future of the competition venues. A legitimate concern for an event whose total cost is estimated at 13.1 billion dollars (12.6 billion euros at the current exchange rate), with approximately 80% allocated to equipment and infrastructure.
Will we see the return of the famous “White Elephants,” those facilities left abandoned once the lights are out? The IOC aims to be reassuring but does not hide its concerns.
