[ssiguy]

Olympics are nothing but bad news for residents and taxpayers and a politicians and developer's wet dream.

They have absolutely no benefit to a city and this notion that it brings new transit infrastructure is crap. Lines that were built were going to be built regardless and while they may advance projects you end up getting inferior lines built to the lowest standards to meet deadlines ie Canada Line.

They do increase tourism but actually hurt local business because people avoid the city during the games due to traffic and closed streets.

Olympics also {despite what they promise} always result in poor people and renters being kicked out of their housing thru 'renovictions' replaced with vastly more expensive ones. They also a boon to people with multiple properties as they are used as AB&B throwing the current tenants out. In a nation with a critical shortage of affordable rentals and sky-high real estate prices, this is the last thing we need.

There is a reason why the biggest backers of Olympic bids are always developers and the politicians they bribe and biggest resistance from the people who actually live in the city itself.