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.
Stadia
South African World Cup Stadium Costs Highlight Neighboring Poverty
The costs of a new stadium built for this year's World Cup in Nelspruit, South Africa have heightened tensions between the city's poor and its leading officials.
The New York Times
London Stadium Plan Misses Mark on Context
One of London's major soccer teams is floating plans to rebuild its stadium. But with its location in one of the city's most impoverished sections, many say the new plan doesn't do enough for its neighborhood.
London Evening Standard
Winter Wonderland in the Bird's Nest
This slideshow from the BBC explores how Beijing's iconic Bird's Nest Olympic stadium is being reused -- as a kids theme park.
BBC
NFL Cities May Benefit From California Stadium Decision
A recent move that exempted a proposed Southern California football stadium's plans from environmental review may turn out to be precedent-setting for other cities looking to revamp their sports arenas.
Los Angeles Times
Transit Disoriented Development
Arlington, Texas, is home to the Dallas Cowboys' football stadium. But as the largest American city with no public bus or rail lines, getting to the stadium is no easy task.
The Dallas Morning News
The Road to South Africa's World Cup
South Africa is gearing up to host the 2010 World Cup next June. As it prepares to be the tournament's first African host, the country faces a number of hurdles.
The Independent
Brazil's $42 Billion World Cup Investment
It's going to cost Brazil more than $42 billion in infrastructure costs to host the 2014 soccer World Cup, according to a recent report.
Associated Press
The Planetizen News Brief - 7/2/09
4:20 minutes (3.98 MB)
Rural areas feel the pain of renewable energy, Colorado catches rain, and London turns its temporary Olympic stadium permanent -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.
London's Temporary Olympic Stadium Could Go Permanent
Officials in London are changing their minds about the main stadium being built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was intended to be a semi-temporary structure. Now they want it to be permanent.
The Architects' Journal
Trying to Save Portland's Historic Stadium
Growth in Portland's professional sports due to the expansion of Major League Soccer is threatening the life of the city's iconic Memorial Coliseum. Historians and preservationists are teaming up to save it.
The Architect's Newspaper
Slow Progress on Russian Olympics Site
Sochi, Russia, is set to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. But work on the site has hardly begun, according to this report from The Moscow Times.
The Moscow Times
Stadium to Nowhere
Kansas City has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a new indoor arena with the hopes of luring a pro basketball or hockey team. But a year and a half after opening, nobody's biting.
The Atlantic
One City, Two New Stadia
Paul Goldberger looks at the two new baseball stadia opening in New York this Spring.
The New Yorker
L.A. Football Stadium Unanimously Approved
The Los Angeles suburb of Industry has approved plans to build a stadium in the city in hopes of luring a football team back to the L.A. area.
Associated Press
Vancouver's Olympic Architecture Falls Short
This column from The Tyee looks at the architecture for Vancouver's 2010 Olympic games and is not impressed.
The Tyee
Protests Arise as Historic Chicago Park Eyed as Olympic Site
As part of its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, the city of Chicago has proposed a slight change to the layout of its Olympic stadia. The only problem is that the newly proposed site for the aquatics center is listed on the National Register.
Chicago Tribune
Economic Benefits In Question in New York Stadium Redevelopments
Stadium construction in New York that was intended to have only a small cost to taxpayers has turned out to be a major investment and allocation of tax breaks, causing many to question whether the economic benefits of rebuilding will ever be seen.
The New York Times
Concerns Persist as Venue is Cut From World Cup Dress Rehearsal
Delays in construction have cased FIFA officials to remove Port Elizabeth from the list of host cities for the 2009 Confederations Cup, the dress rehearsal tournament before the 2010 World Cup. Concerns remain about the country's readiness.
Sports Illustrated
New England's Football Mall
Football and shopping become one in New England, where the owner of the New England Patriots NFL team has built a $300 million mall and entertainment complex next to the stadium.
NPR
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