From Glory to Ghost Town: The Fate of Olympic Villages

In the past, countries often saw hosting the Olympics as a benefit with an increase in tourism, a boost to local economies, and increasing the public profile of the country. But the games can also have a disadvantage to host nations, with skyrocketing costs, infrastructure, and buildings that eventually fall into disrepair. The most expensive Olympics ever was the 2014 Winter games in Sochi, Russia at 55 billion dollars. What exactly happens after the games? To the places where athletes trained, competed, and lived? From glory to ghost town: the fate of Olympic villages.

During the duration of the games, athletes are housed in the Olympic villages. During the recent summer games in Paris, there were three locations where athletes stayed. Leading up to the games, an inordinate amount of work goes into preparing for the event and creating buildings that will only be used for a short period. After that, what happens to these villages and their buildings varies. Some have positive outcomes, while others aren't as great.

To gather information about what happens to Olympic villages after the show is over, 24/7 Tempo consulted Olympic-related sources, including Olympics.com. For more Olympic coverage, click here to read about athletes with the most Summer Olympic medals.

A lot of time and hard work goes into creating the Olympic villages for athletes. While they're only scheduled to be used for participants for roughly two weeks, most villages are continuously used once the closing ceremony is over. One of the most popular things for an Olympic village to transition into is residences for those continuing their education.

Contrary to what most people think, the rooms inside of Olympic villages aren't big. They're the perfect size for students or office space. Another great thing Olympic villages turn into is shopping plazas, although additional work might need to be done to alter the space for stores or restaurants.

Some of the villages are turned into private residences. Cities like Paris don't have tons of space to build large buildings, so the village becomes a great place to rent a room.

It's nice to consider all of the great things Olympic villages become after the games conclude. However, not every village has turned into something new once the games cease. There are some examples of villages that are purely abandoned. While it was a long time ago, the Berlin village that housed athletes during the 1936 games was completely abandoned.

These days, the buildings look as though they haven't been seen in centuries. The villages aren't the only parts of the Olympics that are abandoned. There are countless examples of various venues used during the games that get left alone. The pool used during the 2016 games in Rio looks as though nobody has set foot in it since the games ended. The concrete slabs are different colors and the pool water looks like it contains countless diseases.

The Summer Olympics aren't the only event that took place in Paris this year. Athletes in the Paralympics also showcased their talents using the same villages. Those games ended on September 8, 2024. After that, there are clear plans to turn the area into office space and apartments.

The plan for the office space and apartments will be done at some point in 2025. Since the buildings are already there, all that needs to be done is redesigning the interior to match what's needed for a healthy office space and living arrangement. For more Olympic coverage, click here to read about the oldest Olympic athletes in history.