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Berlin's Failed Bid to Host the 2000 Summer Olympic Games: Urban Development and the Improvement of Sports Facilities

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  • HEIKE C. ALBERTS

Abstract

Recently scholars have become interested in how the Olympic Games can create a positive legacy for the cities that host them. These benefits often include state‐of‐the‐art sports facilities, improved transportation infrastructure and beautification projects, such as the creation of parks. Stimulated by the Olympic Games, cities may embark on large‐scale urban development projects that may otherwise not be carried out or would be carried out on a much more limited scale. As cities now compete for hosting the Olympic Games, they often try to gain an advantage over other candidate cities by starting some of the projects before submitting their bid documents. Therefore, even an unsuccessful bid may arguably be beneficial. In this article, I describe Berlin's planning goals and overall concept for the 2000 Summer Olympics, as well as the individual projects that were planned. I then discuss why some of these projects have been realized despite the failed bid, while others were abandoned. I argue that the bid provided a stimulus for the improvement of some sports facilities in Berlin because these projects complemented wider planning goals, while other projects were eventually carried out due to other landmark events, such as the move of the federal government to the city. Résumé Des études se sont intéressées récemment à la façon dont les Jeux olympiques peuvent laisser un héritage positif dans leurs villes d'accueil. Ces atouts comptent souvent des installations sportives ultramodernes, une amélioration des infrastructures de transport et des projets d'embellissement, telle la création de parcs. Sous l'impulsion des J.O., des villes se lancent parfois dans de vastes projets d'urbanisme qui, sinon, n'auraient pas existé ou auraient été réalisés à une échelle bien plus modeste. Désormais, étant donnée la compétition entre les villes candidates, celles‐ci tentent souvent de prendre le pas sur leurs concurrentes en démarrant certains projets avant même le dépôt de leur dossier. En conséquence, même une candidature rejetée peut, d'une certaine manière, être profitable. Cet article décrit les objectifs d'aménagement et le concept d'ensemble proposés par Berlin pour les J.O. d'été de 2000, ainsi que les différents projets prévus. Il analyse ensuite pourquoi certains de ces projets ont vu le jour malgré le refus du dossier, d'autres étant abandonnés. La candidature a procuré l'élan nécessaire à une amélioration d'installations sportives berlinoises, car ces projets venaient en complément d'objectifs d'aménagement plus larges; par ailleurs, d'autres projets ont finalement abouti dans le cadre d'autres grands événements, comme le transfert du gouvernement fédéral à Berlin.

Suggested Citation

  • Heike C. Alberts, 2009. "Berlin's Failed Bid to Host the 2000 Summer Olympic Games: Urban Development and the Improvement of Sports Facilities," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 502-516, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:33:y:2009:i:2:p:502-516
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2009.00847.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Harry H. Hiller, 2000. "Mega‐events, Urban Boosterism and Growth Strategies: An Analysis of the Objectives and Legitimations of the Cape Town 2004 Olympic Bid," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 449-458, June.
    2. Glen Searle, 2002. "Uncertain Legacy: Sydney's Olympic Stadiums," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(7), pages 845-860, October.
    3. Drew Whitelegg, 2000. "Going for Gold: Atlanta's Bid for Fame," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 801-817, December.
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    1. John Allen & Allan Cochrane, 2014. "The Urban Unbound: London's Politics and the 2012 Olympic Games," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1609-1624, September.
    2. Ian R. Cook & Kevin Ward, 2011. "Trans-urban Networks of Learning, Mega Events and Policy Tourism," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(12), pages 2519-2535, September.
    3. Beimer, Waldemar & Maennig, Wolfgang, 2020. "On the price gap between single family houses and apartments," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    4. Eva Kassens-Noor & John Lauermann, 2018. "Mechanisms of policy failure: Boston’s 2024 Olympic bid," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(15), pages 3369-3384, November.
    5. John Lauermann, 2016. "Temporary projects, durable outcomes: Urban development through failed Olympic bids?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(9), pages 1885-1901, July.
    6. Volker Nitsch & Nicolai Wendland, 2013. "The IOC's Midas Touch: Summer Olympics and City Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 4378, CESifo.

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