Crazy expensive: What the Olympics cost from 1948 to today
Like so many other places before it that have won the bid to host the Olympics, South Korea is forking over far more than it initially projected to build the facilities and related infrastructure for this year’s games in Pyeongchang. The whole operation will cost about $12.9 billion, compared with the $7 billion to $8 billion price tag the planners projected in 2011, USA Today reported.
The money was spent on building six new venues and refurbishing six others in the area, according to Curbed. To get athletes and spectators to the area, there is a brand new $3.7 billion express train running from Seoul to Pyeongchang.
One area of concern: The 35,000-seat Olympic stadium, which will be used for sports as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, was built without a roof or heat, and the forecast for the Winter Games is, well, very cold.
The good news for all involved: South Korea’s new facilities are complete and ready for action. There should be none of the desperate scrambling and last-minute construction that the world witnessed in the run-up to the last Olympic Games in Rio and in Sochi, Russia.
What do you think about the money that countries spend to host the Olympics? Do you think it pays off? Share your thoughts in comments below or on our Facebook page.
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