The aftermath of the Olympics

1972 - Munich.  This was the last of the "old-style" Olympics.  During the Munich massacre, 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed, as well as 1 police officer, and 5 of the 8 terrorists.  The total cost was $611 million.  FAIL!

1976 - Montreal.  The main stadium was not completed in time for the games and was never fully completed.  It cost $1.6 billion, which was not paid off until 2006,  and today sits empty. "Naiveté, poor planning and outright corruption plagued Montreal".  FAIL!

1980 - Moscow.  The games were boycotted by the US, and less than 100,000 visitors showed up.  The cost of $2 billions was paid for by the totalitarian state.  FAIL!

1984 - Los Angeles.  Very few new facilities were built and those which were were paid for by sponsors. The games made a $220 million profit, even though the Soviets boycotted it.  SUCCESS!

1988 - Seoul.  The games made a profit of $139 million (another source says $288 million); however, this did not include many infrastructure costs.  The Olympic apartments were sold at a profit as well.  SUCCESS!

1992 - Barcelona.  The total cost, mostly infrastructure, was over $11 billion, but the Olympics transformed the city and tourism boomed.  SUCCESS!

1996 - Atlanta.  It was criticized for being too commercialized and there was a bombing that killed 2 people.  Yet it was a catalyst for regenerating downtown Atlanta.  The Olympic village was turned into university dorms.  The city boomed, adding more than 2 million people over the next 10 years.  And the games broke even financially.  SUCCESS!

2000 - Sydney. The image of Australia was massively enhanced by the games, but the cost was enormous, and did not lead to economic redevelopment.  The stadium is used for football (soccer) and rugby.  MIXED

2004 - Athens.  An enormous amount of money was spent on infrastructure, over $10 billion, but 21 of the 22 special venues built sit unused, and a huge debt remains.  This contributed in at least small part to Greece's current woes. "Athens has become a manual on how not to stage the Olympics". EPIC FAIL!

2008 - Beijing.  The Chinese spent more than $40 billion on the games, but the games were a logistical success and the games are a source of great national pride.  Many of the specially built venues are underused or abandoned, and there is no long-term economic boost.  Verdict:  MIXED
See:  The Olympic Ruins of Beijing

2012 - London.  More than $14 billion were spent on the games.  There was a security debacle and seating scandal, and less tourists came than would have happened without the games.  FAIL!