Russian President Vladimir Putin’s $50-billion Olympic Games

[SidDithers]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/01/25/russian_president_vladimir_putins_50billion_olympic_games.html

As you sit on your couch next month and watch the luge, ponder this: The Sochi Olympic Games are costing a whopping $50 billion — reportedly more than all of the previous Winter Games combined.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is sparing no expense to establish his legacy and prove Russia’s new-found modernity and economic might by hosting the Winter Olympics in Sochi — a resort town known for mild weather, palm trees and beaches on the Black Sea.

More than 40,000 brand-new hotel rooms have been built with public and some private money. Snow from glaciers has been meticulously collected and stored in refrigerated reservoirs in case the ski hills have none. Altai shamans from Siberia have been summoned to say a prayer and make sure it snows. And, at the last minute, a roof was plopped on the Fisht Olympic Stadium, making it a giant theatre for the opening ceremonies that will reportedly feature six locomotives and a recreation of Peter the Great leading five ships.

To put the cost of the Sochi Games in perspective: China spent $40 billion getting Beijing ready for the 2008 Summer Olympics (with its 302 events) and Vancouver spent a $8.7 billion on the last Winter Olympics, the cost of one rail line and road built for Sochi.

Pootie-Poot's gonna show 'em.

Sid

[dipsydoodle]

1. Well in five weeks time it will all be over

and nobody will have to worry about it anymore.

[rafeh1]

2. The estimate seems really high

[Brother Buzz]

5. Altai shamans from Siberia don't come cheap

[dipsydoodle]

11. lol

[Skraxx]

3. And it will be a ghost town when it's over

What a waste. It will be a collossal failure, as I'm sure the vast majority of that money is being grifted and funneled to cronies. Even worse than Jersey style.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Its on the Black Sea.

and the summer temperatures are between 24c and 29c June to August so maybe it will become a holiday resort even for Europeans.

Its really only a matter of pricing.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. "maybe it will become a holiday resort" - I think you got it right.

.
.
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With it's climate, location and 40,000 new hotel rooms;

I think that increased tourism (and GDP/employment) is a certainty.

Besides -

money much better spent than the USA's 1.5 TRILLION dollars spent on the wars with Afghanistan and Iraq doncha think?

http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

CC

[dipsydoodle]

8. It also obviously closer for those Russians , substantial in number,

who would otherwise go to Cuba for example along with considerable numbers of Canadians and Europeans including me.

I just looked out of curiosity and a return flight from London is only £250...........cheap.

[William769]

7. Not for LGBT Europeans or their allies.

On a side note the last European country to outlaw homosexuality was repealed yesterday.

[dipsydoodle]

9. Ceased to be an offense in Russia in 1993

when Russia repealed the previous law against it which convered males only : they've never had such a law re. women.

[William769]

10. So I guess life is just hunky dory in russia for Homosexuals.

Gotcha.