Essay About Urban Regeneration And Olympic Games

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The Olympic Games is a prestigious event where athletes from all over the world
compete in many different kind of sports for honour and glory. Just like the World
Cup Soccer, it is held every four years but as two separate competitions which are the
winter and summer competition. According to About, the ancient Olympic Games
were founded Heracles, a son of Zeus ( 2004, Internet ). According to Wikipedia, the
Games slowly lost importance when the Romans strenghtened in Greece and when
Christianity became the official religion of the Roman, the Christian hegemony felt
threatened by the Olympic Games. Hence, in 393, Emperor Theodosius ended a
thousand year period of Olympic Games ( 2004, Internet ). Wikipedia states that a
revival of the Olympic Games was made by Pierre, Baron de Coubertin with two
goals in vision, which are to bring nations closer together, to have the youth of the
world compete in sports, rather than fight in war (2004, Internet ).About states that,
the revival was made approximately 1500 years later ( 2004, Internet ). Olympic may
be defined as a sports festival held every four years in different countries ( Oxford
Dictionary, 2001, p.623 ). This event not only brings nations together to celeberate
humanity and compete, but also helps the host cities in many ways. This essay will
argue that the urban regeneration, infrastructure improvements, and the economic
growth brings benefits to the host cities.
Firstly, urban regeneration is the rejuvanation of the run-down urban areas. Run-
down urban areas may be defined as unused areas. Host cities of the Olympic Games
may use the opportunity to revitalised areas that they fine suitable. The reasons for
revitalising run-down urban areas are to transform unused hectares of land into future
residential and business area. It brings both short and long term benefits to the city.
According to Hotel Online, Sydney hosted the Olympic Games on a place where it
had been an unusable swamp, brick works, a meat packing and war materiel dump
area. The rejuvination of this site due to the Olympic Games turned this area into a
location that offers world-class sporting facilities and one of the largest and top
knotch service residential area in Sydney (2001, Internet ). Urban Regeneration could
also enhance cultural and environmental elements of the city. According to McKay
and Plumb, projects in Athens were aimed to regenerate disused quarries and former
army camps and also to establish park, recreation and environmental education areas.
The project in Athens would also enhance major archaeological sites (2001, Internet ).
In every Olympic Games, an Olympic Village will be built. It will be the heart of the
Olympic Games where everything will be concentrated in the village. Therefore, this
makes the construction of the village very important for the host city. The feature of
the Olympic Villages in each host cities can have huge impacts on urban development
of the city. The features include design, location and form of the village ( Hotel
Online, 2001, Internet ). McKay and Plumb states that, the Olympic Village was the
key to urban regeneration in Sydney and Barcelona. It wasnt all about construction
housing areas, the retail and other community facilities were both supported (2001,
Internet). Residential areas and community facilities are all important in a city as they
are the backbone of a city. Hence, host cities will use this perfect opportunity to create
a good foundation for the city. According to Hotel Online, Sydneys Olympic Village
will eventually be able to accommodate 5,000 residents and form the worlds largest
solar-powered settlement ( 2001, Internet). Urban regeneration may cost a huge
amount of money and may lead to having government borrowing money and owe a
large amount of debt. However, the future benefits of urban regeneration clearly
outweighs the cost.
Secondly, infrastructure development has been another major benefit for Olympic
host cities. Infrastructure development is the building of basic facilities and services
that are needed for the functioning of a community. For example, transportation and
communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including
schools, post offices, and prisons. The infrastructures could lead to future incomes and
use. According to McKay and Plumb, Seoul used its Olympic Stadium as the major
venue of