Olympic Cities

London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was based upon the event providing a significant catalyst for the regeneration and renewal of East London. The bid emphasized the concentration of the Olympic site in the Lower Lea Valley and Stratford, areas of severe industrial decline and social deprivation, and stressed the positive cultural, social and economic legacies arising from the creation of a new landscape in East London. The London bid was more about these social, cultural and economic aspects than the sport events and in the bid process, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) was cast more in the role of guardian of urban regeneration and renewal than that of the world's leading sports executive. Drawing upon historical, cultural, economic and socio-demographic perspectives, this book examines the role of a sporting mega-event in promoting urban regeneration and social renewal. Comparing cities that have or will be hosting the event, it explores the political economy of the games and the changing role of the state in creating post-industrial metropolitan spaces. It evaluates the changing perceptions of the Olympic Games and the role of sport in the global media age in general and assesses the implication of 'mega-event' regeneration policies for local communities and their cultural, social and economic identities, with specific reference to east London and the Thames Gateway.