For anyone who remains unconvinced that Larry Langford’s proposal for Birmingham to make a bid for the 2020 Olympic Games is the Worst. Idea. Ever., please see the following article:
As Olympic glow fades, Athens questions $15 billion cost
“I think that during the Olympics there was a good feeling,” says Andreas Efthimiou, the deputy mayor of the Athens suburb where the Faliro Bay Olympic Complex is located. “But after the Olympics, I see that nothing has been done, we have lost the chance to change the face of the city.”
Many of the venues are still vacant four years later, promised parks never materialized, and new transportation infrastructure has caused problems like flooding and increased traffic, says Mr. Efthimiou. Citizens question the event’s $15 billion price tag – most of it paid for by the state.
“They’ve abandoned the development,” says a dismayed Stelious Thanelas, a pensioner who lives near the Faliro facility. “I used to think [the Olympics] were worth it. Now I don’t. The venues aren’t being used and nothing has been done.”
And the money quote (emphasis mine):
Mr. Kartalis thinks Beijing and London, which will host the 2012 summer Olympics, will have an easier time putting their facilities to good use. Athens is home to just 4 million people, compared with Beijing’s 17 million and London’s 12 million.
So. Athens has 4 million people, and now laments that it ever hosted the Olympics. How many people does Birmingham have, you ask? 229,424, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2006 estimate. But, you say, that only includes people inside the city limits. The Olypmics would be a regional affair, so we should count the entire Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL CSA (combined statistical area), also known as Greater Birmingham. What is the population of that area? 1,188,764, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 estimate.
Nice. An entire eight county area surrounding Birmingham has 1.2 million people, compared to Athens’ 4 million. And Athens now believes it was too small for the Olympics.
Sure, Larry. Go for it, you unbelievable fruitcake.
Photo used under a Creative Commons license from klmonty.
