The fiancee and I went to Greece in 2001 and spent a couple of nights in Athens. Athens is the host for the 2004 Summer Olympics and those are looking like a disaster. Recall: in 1990, the International Olympic Committee rejected Athens' Olympic bid to host the centennial Olympics (first "modern" Olympics = 1896 Athens). But the Greeks didn't get the message and in 1994, the IOC rejected Athens' bid in favor of Sydney -- a highly successful Olympics (unlike the commercialized mess in Atlanta). In 1998, partially out of obligation, the IOC awarded Athens the 2004 Olympics. But in the intervening 5.5 years, the IOC has repeatedly admonished the Greeks to get their collective act together and make demonstrable progress in getting the city ready. Simply stated, we knew when we were in Athens that the Greeks with their statist, Socialist, and disorganized economic system would be in deep trouble. It is. Athens has had to cut projects and is far behind schedule on the main Olympic stadium. This will be a disaster.
Correction: This article by S.L. Price says that the IOC granted Athens the 2004 Summer Olympics in 1997.
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