As Shanghai prepares to host the World Expo beginning next month, the aftertaste of over-investment in Beijing's 2008 Summer Olympics and that event's now-empty venues is causing some to question the wisdom of the Expo and its long-term impact.
Many of the extravagant venues built for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing are now sitting unused, and many there say they are likely to end up costing the government much more money in the future.
"So far, the huge maintenance costs of those venues is being sustained by Chinese tourists, who pay for tickets to visit them and relive a bit of China's glory. But officials said interest is beginning to wane.
Perhaps mindful of that history, authorities in Shanghai decided that almost all the World Expo pavilions will be dismantled immediately after the fair. The site, an old industrial area that once housed a steel plant and scrap yard, will be used for exhibitions and conferences, a business sector this city is still trying to develop.
Also, officials and Shanghai residents say, the costly infrastructure improvements will continue to benefit locals long after the fair has closed down."
This year's World Expo will be the most expensive in history. Though organizers are hoping to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Beijing Olympics, some worry it may be too late.
Read the full story: Shanghai prepares world's fair while wondering about costs
As World Expo Host, Shanghai Aims for Bigger Splash Than Beijing
As the host of the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai is sparing no expense. Civic investment and projects are expected to eclipse those of Beijing when it hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Coronavirus Effects on the Global Transportation System
As the coronavirus continues to move across the globe, its effects on shared transportation modes and freight shipping are becoming more apparent.
Buildings Full of Empty Apartments Pose Problems in China
Failed investments and buildings with no tenants sit on the outskirts of Beijing and Shanghai.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello