Mega-Events: Classification and Evolution

Why do cities decide to host mega-events? Is increased tourism the prime objective behind the rebirth of large cities? Which goals are linked to urban regeneration? How is the visibility of a city related to the hosted Event? The chapter analyses the classification of different types of events and their impacts, with particular reference to the Olympic Games, introducing the issue of tangible and intangible legacies, why a city should bid to host the Olympic Games and what the implications are even if the bid is unsuccessful. Finally, it highlights that in the debate within and outside the International Olympic Committee, the issue of legacy and the environmental, social, cultural, territorial and economic-financial sustainability of the event is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed from the earliest stages of the bidding process.