Sochi 2014 Olympics Closing Ceremony: Russia Hosts Most Expensive Olympics Ever
Russia has closed the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in spectacular fashion as the Olympic flame was extinguished.
Surprisingly, Russia has owned its opening Ceremony flop of the failed ring by having dancers mock the moment as seen here.
The Winter Games closed the most expensive Olympic hosting at $51 billion dollars, topping Beijing's $41 billion bill during the 2008 Summer Olympics, says the Daily Mail. To see the numbers that went into Sochi, review E! Online's numerical guide to the spectacle that was Sochi.
Back in 2007 when Russia won the bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, the estimated cost of hosting was pegged at $21 billion. However, seven years later, with inflation and massive infrastructure development projects including new roads, hotels and venues, the expenses kept piling on, reports Time Sports.
Bloomberg reports that Russia's $51 billion equates to about $520 million for each of the 98 events. This is a massive jump from Beijing's $132 million per each of the 302 events held. As another comparison, Sochi is almost three times the cost of the previously most expensive winter games hosting, 1998 in Nagano, Japan, says Business Insider.
Seven years ago, Putin himself travelled to Guatemala to promise that Sochi will be turned into "a world-class report" for a "new Russia." The 17-day sport spectacle, the closing ceremony showcased the power and wealth of Russia and Vladimir Putin that many accused as a rouse to deflect other issues including terrorism, corruption and organized crime, write Vanity Fair.
As a silver lining to some angered citizens who are protesting the water pollution, displacement and environmental degradation brought on by construction, the state says it'll use much of the new infrastructures during their hosting of the World Cup in 2018 says Time Sports.
During the closing of the Games, IOC Chief tells the world that "Russia delivered all it had promised. To see more of the photos from the closing ceremony, see the coverage here.
Russia passes the hosting duties to South Korea's Pyeongchang in 2018.