What Makes a Golden Olympic Legacy?

The Olympic Games face a growing crisis as cities increasingly withdraw from hosting bids due to concerns over costs, urban disruption, and unmet promises. Olympic legacy is defined as the tangible and intangible effects of hosting, with a particular focus on how these outcomes impact local residents before, during, and after the Games. This thesis examines the patterns of Olympic legacy success and failure across host cities, focusing on the balance between resident interests and the demands of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). By analyzing the nine Summer Olympic Games from 1984 to 2016, this study explores how resident-centric planning contributes to a positive long-term legacy. The research highlights that cities prioritizing local needs tend to achieve stronger legacies. The study develops a framework for evaluating Olympic success based on five key structural changes: social development, urban infrastructure development, economic enhancement, environmental enhancement, and human development. Using qualitative analysis, this research assesses how host cities have either fulfilled or failed to meet their promises. The findings suggest that standardizing Olympic legacy evaluation is crucial for future bids and for sustaining the Games' relevance. Ultimately, this thesis argues that a city's Olympic success is determined by how residents perceive and remember the Games, making their voices central to any meaningful assessment of Olympic legacy.