Beyond the Games: regeneration legacies and London 2012

Regeneration is a concept strongly linked with major sports events. It is often used as a rationale to justify expenditure and gain local support. However, there is limited robust evidence to support the notion that major events deliver longer term urban regeneration. This paper examines the regeneration legacies of the Olympic Games by exploring evidence from previous host cities together with the regeneration legacy plans for London beyond 2012. It discusses the factors that contribute to success; the importance of monitoring and evaluation and the methodological challenges this creates. The paper argues that although regeneration legacies are a realistic expectation for cities that host the Olympic Games, they are dependent upon several success factors and can take many years to be realised. It concludes by suggesting a number of considerations for establishing a framework for holistic regeneration legacy evaluation in the future.