Corruption to the nth degree wrote:
Atlanta taxpayers were ripped off to pay for road improvements, troops, police, and airport improvements.
Improvements in roads, police and one of the world's busiest airports? Sounds terrible.
Corruption to the nth degree wrote:
Taxpayers paid the hotel, gay bar, and airfare for 7,000 IOC V.I.P.s who did nothing but drink and yap away, and didn't even watch any of the sports events.
Paid for by private sources. Public money was used for the physical infrastructure improvements, and the federal government paid for security. The venues and the Olympics themselves were paid for privately.
Corruption to the nth degree wrote:
Ten years later, the So Cal USATF tried to arrange funds for the IAAF to bring in thousands of the same types for a meet in Compton. So Cal USATF couldn't find a shoe company to pay.
The IAAF at the time had Mizuno as their shoe sponsor so there was no additional shoe money that could have come in without violating the IAAF's contract. The sticking point was the IAAF's requirement that athletes receive their prize money free of local taxes and the LOC wasn't going to be able to make that a reality.