sod the business case, I want to see all the events in the UK

Hi aam1234. I fully understand your point and thanks for taking the time to explain. However, to use your party analogy, this little get-together's going to cost me, the tax and rate payer, £8-10 billion to stage. Ironically, I'm not going to the party, and neither do I get anything back. It seems the main beneficiaries are private companies, property developers, and the "deprived area regeneration", which is polictical in the sense it's taking cash off the "have-gots" to house and look after the "have nots."

I've actually just finished watching a BBC1 documentary on the subject. There's going to be a massive shortfall which the tax-payer will be forced to fund. That'll be more income tax, higher fuel and road tax (and guess who'll get clobbered) and other "stealth" taxes, as Envoy rightly says. It took Montreal 30 more years after the 1976 games to pay off the debt and I just wonder if the cash would've been better spent on hospitals or schools, etc? Also, like cricket, we're about as good at athletics as we are at It's a Knockout!!!

To be honest, I actually dont have strong views on the subject, just playing Devil's Advocate!

Don't know how to make multiple quotes, so hope you don't mind copying & pasting, Brian.

"this little get-together's going to cost me, the tax and rate payer, £8-10 billion to stage."

True. But look at what you will get after this get-together is over. Shiny new stadiums that will make you even more proud of your great country.

"Ironically, I'm not going to the party, and neither do I get anything back."

Let's say you are the anti-social type, so you won't go to the party you are hosting. But your family and kids will love it and have a great time. Not only that but they get to keep the goodies too

"It seems the main beneficiaries are private companies, property developers"

Directly, yes. And here is where everybody benefits, and probably the main reason for hosting such a big event. See, for every pound spent by the government there is like 3 or more pounds economic returns. Will get into the details later, but that's called the "multiplier effect" in economics. That's where the juice is


Will continue in another post, if you don't mind. Stop me if you are bored already

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Kaine wrote:

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I will

aam1234 wrote:

Kaine wrote:

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I will

only joking - you asked for it though - literally

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Sorry to keep you awake Kaine.

As I said, I'm not too fussed, just provoking debate. As a Londoner, I've no choice but to cough-up the f ing cash. Good old Uncle Seb and Aunty Ken have taken care of that decision for me!