This year’s summer Olympics were filled with heart-warming stories and an insane amount of memes. From Happy Valley’s very own Stephen Nedoroscik (who you can now catch on Dancing With the Stars) wooing the world, to Jordan Chiles controversial bronze medal debate, news continues to pour out of the Olympic village after the games’ conclusion.
Over 11 million fans traveled to spectate 32 Olympic sports in Paris, the city of love. Unfortunately, the city did not love being overrun with tourists, leading many citizens to retaliate. Across Europe, locals protested outside tourist-packed restaurants with signs, chants and–surprisingly–water guns.
Hosting the Olympic Games may seem like a badge of honor, but the aftermath can be detrimental to the nation.
One of the most viral actions that Paris citizens took was their pledge to dump large amounts of human waste into the Seine River, where many open water events took place.
Though many cities across the world hope to be chosen to host an Olympic cycle, it has become an economic and ecological burden. According to The New York Times, Tokyo spent an estimated $28 billion ($21 billion over their budget) in order to host the games in 2021. Many cities build brand-new competition venues to host a wide array of sports. Although they are used during the events, buildings are often left abandoned, with no practical use, after their summer. Also, carbon emissions increase along with waste, trash, and the spread of disease.
With so many tourists attending the Olympics, it is easy to believe that the games would have a positive effect on the local economy, yet many Paris businesses have experienced less revenue than normal. The New York Times reports that they have seen a “slump up to 70%,” in one week. Due to increased security measures, many tourists are unable to navigate the city and a large amount of tourist attractions have been closed. Business owners have also reported an increase in vandalism across Paris.
As the world looks forward to the summer of LA 2028, there is a universal hope for increased efforts in sustainability and care for the local economy.
Tell us what your LA 2028 predictions are by tweeting us, @VALLEYmag on X!
