# Are the Olympics in Brazil actually going to be a disaster? Or are people trying to sell clicks? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919 "2016-06-20T21:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/21 "2016-06-21T07:06:18Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Los Angeles in 1984 made a profit, largely by using existing stadia and commercializing everything in sight. London, Beijing and Sydney weren’t too disastrous either at least politically. That can never really happen again unfortunately. These days “stakeholders” demand and get promises for lots of goodies as an inducement to support the bid. Sports stadiums and infrastructure are actually the least less useful parts, they can be used after the games, its the massive infrastructure projects like roads, rail, airport which get people screwed. I remember being in Athens a few months after the '04 Games and going the the Olympic Stadium. Serving the Olympic Stadium was a most massive Train Station, I mean bigger than Penn Station, Grand Central and Kings Cross; combined. And it was empty, except for me and my Dad. I wish I had taken a picture, would have been a nice illustration. From what I have read that for hosting countries, smaller atheletic meets like the Asian Games, or the Commonwealth Games or regional games are actually much more useful, as they provide needed investment in sports. The UK’s improvement in many disciplines has been traced back to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and its legacy. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/22 "2016-06-21T11:56:43Z")
As a proud Chicagoan whose town lost the Olympic bid to Rio in the first few moments of the voting, I can only point and laugh. (Nelson Muntz voice, “Hah hah!”) ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/23 "2016-06-21T12:23:58Z")
Mostly normal scaremongering. Though I don’t want to put all the blame on the press: the public obviously love “the sky is falling” stories, and it has particular resonance among those people eagerly awaiting the event. Once it starts, I suspect plenty of things will not go 100% smoothly, but they won’t get much attention amidst stories of records being broken, new heroes being crowned, crushing disappointments etc. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/24 "2016-06-21T12:53:44Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I think they should just build a permanent olympic site and keep it there. Preferable in Greece since they started it. That won’t work - [the Greeks would deny that they had any swimming facility](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwj23rrZlLnNAhVJyyYKHXdHBqAQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fboingboing.net%2F2010%2F05%2F04%2Fsatellite-photos-cat.html&usg=AFQjCNHlTdy0KIY5y7V6OIxWda9OemFbKg&sig2=baihKJyy30SIjm1TshBQMQ&bvm=bv.124817099,d.cWw). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/25 "2016-06-21T14:45:35Z")
> [@HubZilla](#): > > New York would be too cold and snowy to host a Super Bowl New York didn’t host a Super Bowl. New Jersey did. To be fair no one was predicting disaster. It was recognized that weather could be a factor with an outside chance of a snow storm affecting the game. The debate was more about if the game should be played in a location where weather would be a factor in game play rather than if it would turn the event into a disaster. There was more worry about the weather turning the game into a boring low scoring ground game than any danger. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/26 "2016-06-21T19:18:43Z")
Are any U.S. cities even in the bidding for any future games? Does anybody even want it anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/27 "2016-06-21T19:38:39Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Are any U.S. cities even in the bidding for any future games? Does anybody even want it anymore? [Los Angeles is the official US candidate for 2024.](https://la24.org/) [Reno-Lake Tahoe (and possibly Sacramento), Denver, Anchorage, Lake Placid, and Bozeman, Montana are in the hunt to be the US representative for 2026.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics#North_America) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/28 "2016-06-21T19:40:44Z")
[L.A. is a candidate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_bid_for_the_2024_Summer_Olympics) for the 2024 summer games. Boston originally was, but dropped out, leading the USOC to approach Los Angeles. So far, no U.S. city has announced their intention to go for the [2028 summer games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics). There are a number of cities considering bids for the [2026 winter games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics): Salt Lake City, Reno–Lake Tahoe, Denver, Anchorage, Lake Placid, and Bozeman MT. ETA: or what **Rick Kitchen** said. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/29 "2016-06-21T19:43:07Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [Reno-Lake Tahoe (and possibly Sacramento), Denver, Anchorage, Lake Placid, and Bozeman, Montana are in the hunt to be the US representative for 2026.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics#North_America) Plus Salt Lake City. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/30 "2016-06-21T21:40:58Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > [L.A. is a candidate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_bid_for_the_2024_Summer_Olympics) for the 2024 summer games. Boston originally was, but dropped out, leading the USOC to approach Los Angeles. So far, no U.S. city has announced their intention to go for the [2028 summer games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics). > > There are a number of cities considering bids for the [2026 winter games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics): Salt Lake City, Reno–Lake Tahoe, Denver, Anchorage, Lake Placid, and Bozeman MT. > > ETA: or what **Rick Kitchen** said. Bozeman? Beautiful town, but I can’t see how they could possibly host the winter Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/31 "2016-06-22T14:03:13Z")
Well, they’re off to a shitty start: [Amazon jaguar shot dead after Olympic torch ceremony](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-jaguar-idUSKCN0Z72P4) > [@Reuters](#): > > A jaguar featured at an Olympic torch ceremony was shot dead by a soldier shortly after the event in the Brazilian Amazon city of Manaus as the animal escaped from its handlers, an army statement said. > > The jaguar was killed on Monday at a zoo attached to a military training center where the Olympic torch ceremony was held. A soldier fired a single pistol shot when the escaped animal, despite being tranquilized, approached the soldier, the army said. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/32 "2016-06-22T14:50:40Z")
How did the 2014 World Cup go in Brazil? I don’t know enough about it to say but is there any reason to think the Olympics will be different? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/33 "2016-06-22T15:07:55Z")
Salt lake city was by far the most successful winter Olympics in history and left behind an endowment to care for the Olympic venues so that they’re not crumbling like most. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/34 "2016-06-22T15:44:21Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > Bozeman? Beautiful town, but I can’t see how they could possibly host the winter Olympics. Yeah, I don’t see it either. Anchorage is also a head-scratcher. Finding uses for Olympic facilities after the games is always challenging, but it seems even more difficult in Anchorage - it’s just too remote to be a logical destination for large events. And won’t there be an issue with limited daylight hours for outdoor events? ---
**Author:** ![oara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@oara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oara)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/35 "2016-06-22T17:42:11Z")
It’s sort of sad. I’ve seen the–well, claims, anyway–that the olympics were originally supposed to be about brotherhood and international feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/36 "2016-06-23T13:06:06Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Atlanta went well for the city as well, mostly by having the newly made structures be created with future usage in mind (so the swim center became Georgia Tech’s swim facility, the Olympic Stadium became Turner Field, etc). Of course that also resulted in a very spread out Games, which hurt its reputation, and it was overwhelmingly funded by private organizations and heavily commercialized in order to realize a profit which really hurt politically - but in the end was incredibly intelligent and benefited the city immensely. Except for the bombing which killed one person and injured 111 others, not to mention the security guard who got falsely accused of planting it and hounded by the media. > **[Centennial Olympic Park bombing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Olympic_Park_bombing)** > > The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a domestic terrorist pipe bombing attack on Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, July 27, 1996, during the Summer Olympics. The blast directly killed one person and injured 111 others; another person later died of a heart attack. It was the first of four bombings committed by Eric Rudolph in a terrorism campaign against the U.S. government which he accused of championing "the ideals of global socialism" and "abortion on demand". S Aft... I have no plans to watch any of this, but I feel warnings of disaster are highly exaggerated. Gloom and doom sells in the media and with many people ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/37 "2016-06-23T15:16:10Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > How did the 2014 World Cup go in Brazil? I don’t know enough about it to say but is there any reason to think the Olympics will be different? Three big reasons why it would be different that I can think of. 1. We are not just talking about soccer stadiums which I’m guessing get a lot of use in Brasil. There are multiple venue types that had construction delays. 2. Shit water. The World Cup didn’t have any matches that were played in water used to dump raw sewage. 3. Zika. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/38 "2016-06-23T15:56:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Yeah, I don’t see it either. > > Anchorage is also a head-scratcher. Finding uses for Olympic facilities after the games is always challenging, but it seems even more difficult in Anchorage - it’s just too remote to be a logical destination for large events. And won’t there be an issue with limited daylight hours for outdoor events? Anchorage is just about exactly at the same latitude as Lillehammer, Norway, which hosted a very successful Winter Games in 1994. Don’t remember any big issues with daylight. --by mid February or so the problem isn’t nearly what it would be if the Olympics were held just after the new year. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/39 "2016-06-23T16:55:20Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Anchorage is just about exactly at the same latitude as Lillehammer, Norway, which hosted a very successful Winter Games in 1994. Don’t remember any big issues with daylight. --by mid February or so the problem isn’t nearly what it would be if the Olympics were held just after the new year. True. It looks like Lillehammer had 7-8 hours of daylight during the 1994 games. It’s maybe not as easy to schedule events as with 10-12 hours, but it’s still plenty. My first non-thinking response is winter equals no daylight, but you’re right that there’s a big difference between end of December and end of February. OK, maybe Alaska would actually be a pretty cool place to have the games. And the oil market will probably be recovered by then, so they’ll be flush with money to burn. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919/40 "2016-06-23T17:14:53Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The World Cup didn’t have any matches that were played in water used to dump raw sewage. But the Olympics have demonstration sports. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-olympics-in-brazil-actually-going-to-be-a-disaster-or-are-people-trying-to-sell-clicks/757919.md?page=3)