# What really happened to those glistening former Winter Olympic sites?



## billski (Jan 23, 2014)

Sarajevo


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## billski (Jan 23, 2014)

Olympic Village


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 23, 2014)

What are those pictures from.. the Chernobyl Olympics? Oh Sarajevo.

I've only been to Lake Placid of all Olympic sites. Different story over there.


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 23, 2014)

Well there was a pretty major war fought in Sarajevo region that probably didn't help that property out much.


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## 2knees (Jan 23, 2014)

from_the_NEK said:


> Well there was a pretty major war fought in Sarajevo region that probably didn't help that property out much.



Yeah, I think the decaying olympic infrastructure is the least of that regions issues.  Genocide tends to put things in perspective.....


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

Wow in the grand scheme of things that was not that long ago. Billski you amaze me with the things you come up with.


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 23, 2014)

I really like the photo of the luge track getting grown in on by trees. Cool photography.


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## Hawkshot99 (Jan 23, 2014)

I saw a site a few months back going to many of the old olympic sites. It was amazing how destroyed even the recent greece and china sites were. These are countries that have no need for almost all of the facilities that are built.
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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I saw a site a few months back going to many of the old olympic sites. It was amazing how destroyed even the recent greece and china sites were. These are countries that have no need for almost all of the facilities that are built.
> Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2



Yea Greece looks terrible and it's been only 9 years. Part of it is no interest but the other part is that spending 15 billion on the games didn't help the countries deficit either.


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## St. Bear (Jan 23, 2014)

No body wants to hear it, but there's no reason to hold the Olympics anywhere outside of the US and maybe Western Europe. Those are the only 2 places that already have the existing infrastructure and don't need to go bankrupt building to support a 2 week party.


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## Smellytele (Jan 23, 2014)

Most of China's Olympic venues have been deserted as well...


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 23, 2014)

Hey don't forget Canada!


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## Smellytele (Jan 23, 2014)

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/empty-nest-beijings-olympic-stadium-is-a-vacant-museum-piece/260522/

[url]http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/07/13/decrepit-four-years-after-hosting-the-beijing-olympics-this-is-what-chinas-40b-investment-looks-like/
[/URL]


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

St. Bear said:


> No body wants to hear it, but there's no reason to hold the Olympics anywhere outside of the US and maybe Western Europe. Those are the only 2 places that already have the existing infrastructure and don't need to go bankrupt building to support a 2 week party.



+1 if you don't already have arenas and other venues already built then you probably shouldn't host. I think there are a few other countries like the Australia, Canada, and Japan but I can't see any country in Africa and almost all of South America hosting a games anytime soon. I'll admit though, seeing Chile host a Winter Olympics in the summertime would be really cool even if the ratings would suck.


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 23, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Yea Greece looks terrible and it's been only 9 years. Part of it is no interest but the other part is that spending 15 billion on the games didn't help the countries deficit either.



That's what eventually happens to all government propped-up, phoney economies (SEE: America in 15 to 20 years).


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## AdironRider (Jan 23, 2014)

You guys do realize that the host country has never been determined based on host facilities, well pretty much ever?


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

AdironRider said:


> You guys do realize that the host country has never been determined based on host facilities, well pretty much ever?



That's the point. There really should be. Or at least a credit check from Moodys


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## AdironRider (Jan 23, 2014)

My point is the IOC is probably the most corrupt organization going. The modern Olympic games have been about money since day one. Not sportsmanship, or logistics, or anything logical like that.


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

AdironRider said:


> My point is the IOC is probably the most corrupt organization going. The modern Olympic games have been about money since day one. Not sportsmanship, or logistics, or anything logical like that.



We definitely agree there.


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## St. Bear (Jan 23, 2014)

AdironRider said:


> My point is the IOC is probably the most corrupt organization going. The modern Olympic games have been about money since day one. Not sportsmanship, or logistics, or anything logical like that.



Second to FIFA.


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 23, 2014)

St. Bear said:


> *Second to FIFA*.



Putting a World Cup in Qatar in the middle of summer.

The amount of sex and money that was exchanged for that bit of ridiculousness must be truly staggering.


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Putting a World Cup in Qatar in the middle of summer.
> 
> The amount of sex and money that was exchanged for that bit of ridiculousness must be truly staggering.



I wonder if they're hiring.


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## billski (Jan 23, 2014)

The Sarajevo Bobsleigh run has gun holes smashed through them for snipers during the war.

Berlin:


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## drjeff (Jan 23, 2014)

The IOC is seemingly all about winter sites you've likely never heard of before (but have some Über rich egotistical maniac pushing their bid/bribe) and summer sites in places that you've heard of, but often garner a reaction of "really??"

At this rate, the Olympics might actually price themselves out of a host city/region sooner than later

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## MadMadWorld (Jan 23, 2014)

billski said:


> The Sarajevo Bobsleigh run has gun holes smashed through them for snipers during the war.
> 
> Berlin:



Yea the bobsled area was used as a military stronghold for artillery


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## billski (Jan 23, 2014)

Sapporo Japan, 1972


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## Wavewheeler (Jan 24, 2014)

You would think that they could've converted some of those Olympic villages to apartments or something.


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Wavewheeler said:


> You would think that they could've converted some of those Olympic villages to apartments or something.



I think most of the sites did.  Lake Placid turned theirs into a prison.  Sarajevo was shelled during the war.


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## tnt (Jan 24, 2014)

For the amount of infrastructure they build, I always thing the olympics should be longer.  Like a month minimum...


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## Smellytele (Jan 24, 2014)

tnt said:


> For the amount of infrastructure they build, I always thing the olympics should be longer.  Like a month minimum...



They should really have them scheduled for international events at least for the 3 years after the Olympics


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## twinplanx (Jan 24, 2014)

billski said:


> Sapporo Japan, 1972



Reminds me of the Stateside Lodge circa 2012 lol

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## twinplanx (Jan 24, 2014)

I 





billski said:


> The Sarajevo Bobsleigh run has gun holes smashed through them for snipers during the war.
> 
> Berlin:



Many moons ago Great Adventure in NJ had a roller coaster imitation of this. Really shows my age when I mention it to clueless youngsters :-( 

There were a few turns that resembled an NHL arena after a hat-trick. That's about all I remember lol

Edit:the Sarajevo one not Berlin. I just saw your OP Bill, great pic! I especially like the first one, with all the graffiti. I would be surprised if WAS NOT a skateboarding hangout... 
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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

tnt said:


> For the amount of infrastructure they build, I always thing the olympics should be longer.  Like a month minimum...


or put them on the World cup circuit.  I know, so much of hosting is about infusing $$ into the economy...


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Sniper holes banged out of the bobsleigh run in Sarajevo


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Munich olympic train station


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)




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## Mapnut (Jan 24, 2014)

IIRC the Sapporo downhill venue was deliberately built for a one-time use and the trails were reforested afterward.

I think the 2018 Olympics in Korea will be the opposite of this trend since the country is still in phenomenal growth, especially skiing. Two new major ski resorts (and golf and everything else you can do in mountains) have opened in recent years. Two existing resorts will be used for slalom, gs and freestyle events. A new mountain with 2,900 vertical feet will be developed for the downhills, and I'm sure it will be a popular resort afterward. As far as I can tell there are no lost ski areas in South Korea. (There may be one in the North. Not the one you're thinking of, though that may be lost soon enough.)

But I think we need to pray that war doesn't break out there before 2018, or anytime after.


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## MadPatSki (Jan 24, 2014)

Great topic Billski.

The Sarajevo infrastructures didn't late long as the war hit a few years afterwards. I guess the same can be said of Berlin 1936 Games.

Not all Olympics facilities are falling apart. Here are the Olympic cities or places that I have been...

The ones I know better regarding the Olympics stuff are Montreal, Munich, Calgary and Lake Placid. 

1900, 1924 - Paris (don't know what happened and didn't look for any of the Olympics stuff)
1908, 1948, 2012 - London (don't know what happened and didn't look for any of the Olympics stuff) 
1928 - Amsterdam (don't know what happened and didn't look for any of the Olympics stuff)
1932, 1984 - Los Angeles (didn't look for any of the Olympics stuff)
1972 - Munich : Olympic Park, village, pool, stadium (Football team has moved into a new stadium) are still in use.
1976 - Montreal : Olympic Park, village, pool, rowing, stadium are still in use. Velodrome (cyclist) was converted into the Biodome (type of zoo). Montreal hosted to the IAAF World Cup of Athletics in 1979. FINA (World Swimming) where also held in Montreal in 2005, but didn't take place at the Olympic Park.


Winter:

1924 - Chamonix (don't know what happened and didn't look for any of the Olympics stuff)
1932, 1980 - Lake Placid - skiing (alpine and cross-country), bobsleigh and luge runs, ski jumping, arena still in used.
1936 - Garmish-Partenkirchen - I know that the ski jumping and ski area is still in used.
1964, 1976 - Innsbruck - Olympic Village was converted in housing. Not sure about the rest.
1968 - Grenoble - Ski hill that were developed for the games (Chamrousse), modern infrastructure, airport, etc.
1988 - Calgary - Nakiska (developed for the games), bobsleigh, indoor ice oval, luge, ski jumping still in use.
1992 - Albertville - many infrastructures project - not sure what is left of actual build facilities.
2002 - Salt Lake City...
2010 - Vancouver...


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## jaysunn (Jan 24, 2014)

Very cool thread @billski


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## mbedle (Jan 24, 2014)

Kind of sad to see, what was once, such beautiful and functional facilities falling into disrepair. It just seems that a lot of these places they build these facilities don't have the native populations (or tourists) available to support them after the Olympics. You would think with the history of these places falling into disrepair and unused, a city like Sochi would realize what ultimately is going to happen to them.


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## Highway Star (Jan 24, 2014)

http://www.benkar.se/glomdarum/galleri/Utomlands/Bosnien/RuntSarajevo/


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## Wavewheeler (Jan 24, 2014)

billski said:


> Sapporo Japan, 1972



This looks like the hotel I stayed in at Hunter last year. I'm not kidding.


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## Highway Star (Jan 24, 2014)

They turned this one into a water park!

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/play/beijings-watercube-water-park-now-open-040746


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## hiroto (Jan 24, 2014)

I got curious and searched around a little bit regarding the state of the remains of Nagano (1998).
They seems to be doing well in this regard that everything are still in use or repurposed.  
For example, main stadium was converted into baseball field.  

Even the bobsleigh/luge course still remain in use:

Spiral (bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton)


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## twinplanx (Jan 24, 2014)

mbedle said:


> Kind of sad to see, what was once, such beautiful and functional facilities falling into disrepair. It just seems that a lot of these places they build these facilities don't have the native populations (or tourists) available to support them after the Olympics. You would think with the history of these places falling into disrepair and unused, a city like Sochi would realize what ultimately is going to happen to them.



Renements of the '69 Worlds Fair still reach towards the sky in Flushing, Queens. The big globe is obviously a great photo opp, but the towers and there (rotating?) discs have been decaying for decades... :-( 

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## Glenn (Jan 24, 2014)

Some pretty crazy pictures. Amazing all the build up, then things rot. Sarajevo is certainly in a much different situation though.


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## mlctvt (Jan 24, 2014)

Some of ours isn't much better. I remember about 10 years ago mountain biking through the area that hosted the 1980 Olympic cross country ski and biathlon events. Everything was crumbling into the earth, the stands, scoreboard, awards stands etc. I didn't have a camera or cell phone with me but I wish I took photos. 
I remembered watching the events on TV. It was very strange to be there with no another person around ,just my wife and I on our bikes standing there in silence. 

of course the Stadium and ski jumps are still in great shape and used today! 

Kinda sad to see these great places in ruins


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Beijing


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Check this out.  Hitler's "Peace Village" 1936 Olympics,Berlin


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## AdironRider (Jan 24, 2014)

I take the Berlin photo of the pool with a grain of salt. There are few natatoriums built in the 30's that haven't aged hard, if they are still in use at all. 

Also, pool design has changed remarkably, that design is slow and useless, hence its dilapidation.


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

Athens


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## billski (Jan 24, 2014)

AdironRider said:


> I take the Berlin photo of the pool with a grain of salt. There are few natatoriums built in the 30's that haven't aged hard, if they are still in use at all.
> 
> Also, pool design has changed remarkably, that design is slow and useless, hence its dilapidation.


  That's not the point.  That it was left to crumble is a shame.


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## Edd (Jan 24, 2014)

billski said:


> That's not the point.  That it was left to crumble is a shame.



Point had been hammered home, I think. Everyone bummed out yet?


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## AdironRider (Jan 24, 2014)

billski said:


> That's not the point.  That it was left to crumble is a shame.



Do you know anything about competitive swimming, pool design, and the costs associated to maintain? This pool is useless outside of being a really large bathtub, that would cost six figures a year (1-200k minimum, possibly more) to maintain even it was in perfect shape. 

Theres no justification to maintain a property like that just so Billski feels warm and fuzzy inside.


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## catsup948 (Jan 24, 2014)

Putin probably lined some pockets to get Sochi for 2014.  Huge excuse to upgrade everything.  Trains, roads, telecommunications,  lodging chair lifts everything is being upgraded. This is all being done by a country with a ton of internal and external problems. This sounds a lot like Beijing!

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## Sick Bird Rider (Jan 24, 2014)

The Sarajevo bobsled track is still usable, for some people:


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 24, 2014)

drjeff said:


> The IOC is seemingly all about winter sites you've likely never heard of before (but have some Über rich egotistical maniac pushing their bid/bribe) and summer sites in places that you've heard of, but often garner a reaction of "really??"



That's about the best I've heard it described.



Mapnut said:


> I think *the 2018 Olympics in Korea will be the opposite of this trend since the country is still in phenomenal growth, especially skiing. *



I guarantee North Korea is going to do something uber friggin' crazy for purpose of bribe, future leverage, or just to say,_ "hey, look at us, we're HERE!"_.



twinplanx said:


> Renements of the '69 Worlds Fair still reach towards the sky in Flushing, Queens.



64.  The Mets won the World series in 69.


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## marebear (Jan 25, 2014)

Very interesting thread. Visited Lake Placid 2 years ago. It was awesome to see the ski jumping and freestyle training facilities still in use. Lots of Olympic history to drink in, but cant imagine the small,quaint main street in town handling the hugeness of current games. I did the tourist Bobsled "run". 1/2 mile in 40 seconds. Really was exciting!


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## twinplanx (Jan 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> 64.  The Mets won the World series in 69.



That just makes it worse. 
FIFTY YEARS those structures have been sitting there rotting away. The city of NY should be shamed into action... 


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 25, 2014)

marebear said:


> Very interesting thread. Visited Lake Placid 2 years ago. It was awesome to see the ski jumping and freestyle training facilities still in use.* Lots of Olympic history to drink in, but cant imagine the small,quaint main street in town handling the hugeness of current games.*



Which is why Lake Placid will never host an Olympic games again.  Not enough hotel/motel space and nonexistent transportation.  

Though I should never say never - the proper sum of under-the-table bribe money and blowjobs can work Olympic magic.


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## Smellytele (Jan 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Which is why Lake Placid will never host an Olympic games again.  Not enough hotel/motel space and nonexistent transportation.
> 
> Though I should never say never - the proper sum of under-the-table bribe money and blowjobs can work Olympic magic.



Are you volunteering for the last part?


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 25, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> Most of China's Olympic venues have been deserted as well...



That's funny considering they are bidding for the 2022 Winter Games!


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## Puck it (Jan 25, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> That's funny considering they are bidding for the 2022 Winter Games!




They will build it with our interests payments from our loans.


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 26, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> That's funny considering they are bidding for the 2022 Winter Games!



The rules are a little different when you're bribe money is near infinite and you couldnt care less whether your people starve to death.


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## x10003q (Jan 26, 2014)

billski said:


> or put them on the World cup circuit.  I know, so much of hosting is about infusing $$ into the economy...



Who are you going to ask to give up their current race?


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