Maximizing Olympic impacts by building up legacies

This contribution adds to the controversial discussion of the investment of scarce public resources in mega sport events such as the Olympic Games. The positive, or negative, legacy of mega sport events will be considered. A definition of legacy will be given, how legacy might be measured is discussed and the key elements that make up a legacy are identified. Examples are taken from recent Olympic Games and other mega sports events such as the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002.