2006年VOA标准英语-The Economic Impact of the Olympics

By Brian Padden
Salt Lake City, Utah
27 January 2006
 
watch Economic Legacy¹ report

As world attention shifts to the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, local organizers are hoping that the international media exposure will help the region's economy.  It is one of the reasons why cities around the world compete so intensely to host the games.  

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In theory, increased economic investment and tourism will more than cover the billions of dollars required to put on this international sporting event.  But as VOA's Brian Padden reports from Salt Lake City, the site of the last Olympic Winter Games in 2002, the Olympics long-term economic impact has been limited.  

The 2002 Olympic Winter Games are just a memory now here in Salt Lake City, Utah in the western United States.  The games were considered a great financial success.  Private revenue, mostly from advertising² and television broadcast rights, not only paid for the games but gave back to the community over $100 million.  

 
Lane Beattie 
  
Salt Lake Chamber³ of Commerce President Lane Beattie says the city is now on course to generate over $2.5 billion of economic growth -- all because of the Olympics. "The world shrunk for Utah.  That's the experience that the Olympics bring.  It's like being involved in something much greater."

The ski industry is considered one of the great beneficiaries of worldwide Olympic exposure. 

 
Krista Parry
  
Krista Parry, spokesperson for nearby Park City Mountain Resort, says because of the Olympics the ski industry here has experienced over 12 percent growth since 2002. "Park city was featured on every single media outlet⁴ that there is out there and I think that's huge.  You cannot get that sort of exposure anywhere."

Some visitors to Park City, like Mike Hamlin, say they came here because of the Olympics.  "We originally looked at Park City and were thinking of coming for the Olympics but at the time things were a little expensive to take a family out here.  So when the opportunity came up to come afterwards, yeah, that was in the back of our mind." 

Others, such as Katherine Rollin, say the Olympics had no impact on their decision to visit Utah. "No, we've been here before and we just enjoy the skiing here.  It's family friendly."

  
  
While the ski industry certainly has benefited from the Olympics, the impact on the rest of the economy is less clear.  The Gateway⁵ shopping mall, which opened in conjunction with the Olympics, continues to thrive but the traditional shopping district on Main Street has suffered. 

Much of the $100 million given to the community by Olympic organizers is being used to maintain facilities such as the speed skating rink and ski jump platforms.  These venues⁶ were built for the Olympics and do not at present have broad commercial appeal.  And some significant Olympic costs provided by the federal government, such as security during the games and improving the roads to the venues, are not included in the rosy⁷ assessments⁸ provided by Olympic boosters. 

Kenneth Bullock ,director of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, says despite the stated Olympic principals of fairness and sportsmanship, the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, and its sponsors are there to make money for themselves and not for the community at large.  

 
Kenneth Bullock
  
"What really happens is it's a business and the IOC and the television rights and the sponsors are there to promote their products. For us to think that people are not going to benefit this monetarily⁹ is a little na?ve on our part."

Over the long-term the Olympic economic legacy may be minimal¹⁰.  At the University of Utah, economist¹¹ James Wood contrasts the economic impact of the Olympics with having a major company, like Intel, relocate to the region.  
 
 
James Wood
  
"If Intel comes here, it was 6,000 employees is what they were planning, that changes a growth pattern.  They're here permanently¹².  They bring other companies in.  The Olympics is a short burst.  You get some infrastructure¹³, which is great but there is no long-term impact and for the typical family it doesn't mean much."

Mr. Wood says despite all the plans and promises an event even as prestigious¹⁴ as the Olympics, lasts only 17 days, and then fades into memory.  

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

5 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

6 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

7 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

8 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

9 monetarily   

adv.金融地

参考例句：

10 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

11 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

12 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。