Though cities hope for an economic boost, these photos show it's far from guaranteed.
There is a vigorous competition between cities that hope to host the Olympic games, in part because the inevitable building boom and influx of visitors are expected to boost the economy.
But Business Insider has compiled a set of photos from cities that have hosted in the past, and they call into question whether or not the event is, in the long term, a sound investment.
For example, the expensive gondola that was supposed to bring critical infrastructure to the favelas of Rio de Janiero ceased operations last year, and many of the venues built in Athens have been either abandoned or destroyed.
There are, of course, non-economic reasons to hold the Olympics. Even though much of the infrastructure is, at best, underused, the 2008 games in Beijing served "as a barely disguised metaphor for this nation’s rise to worldwide importance."
And the current games in Pyeongchang are both welcomed by the city, and serving a larger political purpose.
But as Boston's self-withdrawal from consideration as host of the 2024 games implies, some cities are starting to question if the massive effort required to host the Olympics is worth the massive amount of capital required.
FULL STORY: What abandoned Olympic venues from around the world look like today
For Host Cities, Olympic Legacies Are Mixed
The two-week competition is often touted as a galvanizing force for urban development. But that's only cities include the Games' legacy in their planning process from the start.
London's Big Stadium Gamble
The Olympics can be awesome for cities. Or they can be devastating. Rarely they're both, and most often they are an economic drain caused by over-investment in facilities with limited long-term usability. So when London's plans for a 2012 Summer Olympics stadium that would reduce from 80,000 seats during the games to a more realistically usable 25,000 seats after, Olympics experts, city officials and taxpayers rejoiced. But recent news has turned that rejoice to disgust.
Can Madrid's Bid for a Thrifty Olympics Succeed?
As the start of London's summer games grows near, the competition to host the 2020 Olympics is heating up. Paul Sonne looks at whether the "shoestring" bid of Madrid, formed amidst Spain's austerity drive, can beat out the other finalists.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service