Keeping the White Elephants at Bay: Sustainable Olympics and the US-Hosted Summer Games

As the Modern Olympic Movement has progressed, the games have grown more complex. In recent years, the International Olympic Committee has received criticism over the games’ expansion making them less environmentally and economically sustainable Current recommendations for minimizing the impact of the games, while also maintaining their legacy, revolve around reusing existing sporting venues within host cities, rather than building new, purpose-built sites. However, reuse alone might not be enough, especially when examining the US-hosted Summer Games. Planning beyond simply reusing sites is the best way to manage possible negative impacts of the Olympics.