But Wait—There's More
Find other great ideas in these related stories:
- The Dream List: Once-in-a-Lifetime Trips ›
- What Not To Wear: Dress Codes Worldwide ›
- 24 hours at the Edinburgh Festival ›
- Mind–Altering Vacations ›
- Geek Hotels ›
- Best Places to Get Naked ›
- Top Tech Destinations ›
- The Presidents as Travelers ›
- Long Weekend Getaways ›
- The Checklist: Sporting Events ›
- Green Retreats ›
Atlanta, Summer 1996:
The Free Market Olympics
Going for gold:The Atlanta Games were not one of the more stellar performances in Olympics history. As in L.A., the organizers in Atlanta were dedicated to hosting on the cheap—raising so much sponsorship money that we almost expected to see athletes passing a Coca-Cola bottle instead of a torch. And, considering the general mess made of logistics, not knowing which way to run with it.
Tourism legacy: At a cost of $1.7 billion, virtually all of it paid from private sources, the Games at least proved financially solvent. The Atlanta Braves baseball team now plays at what was originally the Olympic Stadium; should you visit Centennial Olympic Park (pictured), get someone to show you where the bomb went off.
Results: Did not finish. We knew what the world thought when the president of the International Olympic Committee, who traditionally ends the event by calling them "the best Games ever," couldn't bring himself to do it.
RSS Feeds