Another Olympic decision...

Today, South Korea or rather Pyeongchang (if you can easily spell it) was selected as the host site for the 2018 Winter Olympics, beating out Munich and Annecy. What's an Olympic worth to a country, a region, a city? It depends on a lot of things. It would seem to me that in the case of Pyeongchang, it will put the place on the map of winter sports in Asia. This would certainly not apply to its two European competitors that are covered deep into snow culture and would not get much added benefits in terms of notoriety.

Did the 2002 Olympics help Salt Lake and Utah as a ski region. Perhaps, but its resorts so close to an airport, its quality of snow and uncrowded slopes did every bit as much. I like to joke that the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, that has been held here some 30 years shines a brighter media light than a once in a lifetime Olympic Games.

Of course, there are the politicians that tend to project their own fame and legacy on “getting” the Games, regardless of whether it will end up costing tons of taxpayers' money and will demand eternal feed and care of the of certain “white elephants” like the jumping and bobsleigh venues. I have long held the view that the Games have long lost their luster when the IOC began adding too many events and when TV rights have become the tail that wags the Olympic dog...