That's what The Wall Street Journal is asking today after Rio won the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. International sports events -- particularly the Olympics - are really exercises in public diplomacy or public relations as practiced by nation states. Why do you think Obama did that overnighter to Copenhagen to pitch Chicago to the committee?
All eyes will be on Rio come Summer 2016, a great opportunity to show off Copacabana to the world. But it will cost plenty, and there's no guarantee that a positive image will result.
Julie V.Iovine, executive editor of the Architect's Newspaper, writes in the Journal:
Asking whether the Olympics is good for a city is like asking if speed dating will lead to a long, solid marriage. The answer to both: It depends. When it comes to the long-term impact of the Olympics on urban well-being, the historical record is surprisingly mixed. Nor do past Olympic hosts provide reliable guidelines for how to guarantee the best outcome. Winning the bid is definitely more like shooting a class V rapid in an untested kayak than like lining up a foul shot in basketball. Both could involve sinking.
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2 comments:
well Rio is nice its recognized as a fashion destination and now with the Olympics and what it symbolizes it will give the place a deeper meaning then most think.
From what I have read there was some worry from people in Chicago as to whether they felt it was a good idea to host the games. So, in this case it was probably a better idea not to go ahead and be a sponsor. Sponsoring the Olympic games in a city can bring in millions of dollars in tourism and so in this sense this would be a loss for Chicago- a city that probably could use the extra revenues. But, in hosting the games also comes a lot of responsibility and there are many things to take care of. The city has to be able to handle a large number of visitors and provide transportation and hotel rooms for the ticket holders. In addition, the venues have to be modernized and fixed to be appropriate for the event. Furthermore, in one way since Rio will be hosting the games, Chicago will be relieved of all the difficulties in planning and set up. Additionally, this gives a historic opportunity for the games to be held for the first time in a South American city as there have been several Olympics held in the United States. Therefore, this fosters a spirit of friendship and of peace to its southern neighbor and this is a gain diplomatically.
AlYazyah Alfalasi
ID- 200620065
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