Olympics cost Vancouver over half a billion dollars

[CHIMO]

Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games cost Vancouver only slightly less than it takes to run the city itself for an entire year.

A report going before city council next week estimates the city spent $729.2-million on infrastructure and operations to host the world for the 27 days of the Games.

It recouped $174.9-million of it from the provincial and the federal governments, leaving a bill of $554.3-million.

That doesn't include the cost of taking over the $1-billion Olympic athletes village project after the primary financier balked.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/olympics-cost-vancouver-over-half-a-billion-dollars/article1535753/

[daleo]

1. The skytrain additions will always be useful

I don't know about the rest. Nonetheless, holding expensive international events to kick-start infrastructure is a timeworn, but stupid strategy.