The psycho-social impact of the Olympics as urban festival: a leisure perspective

Abstract

Typical impact assessments of mega-events such as the Olympics focus on economic and tourism indicators or urban regeneration efforts. This paper instead focuses on the perceptions and attitudes of local residents about the mega-event and how it impacts them. Using poll data gathered in relation to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and the 2012 London Summer Olympics, it is shown how attitudes shift over time and, above all, how the Games-time experience of living in a host city impacts resident’s attitudes towards the Games. It is argued that the Olympics creates both new leisure time and leisure spaces in the host city that produces psycho-social effects, whereby the event is viewed more positively and almost independent of perceptions of economic benefits. The creation of a festival atmosphere affects the public mood and surprisingly seems to at least somewhat overwhelm fiscal issues and other controversies.