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Conceptualizing Olympic Legacy: The Case of Vancouver 2010
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- Author / Creator
- Sant, Stacy-Lynn R
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This study explored the conceptualization of Olympic legacy in Vancouver— host of the XXI Winter Olympic Games. More specifically, this project examined event proponents’ views on legacy at the time of the Olympic bid. A media frames analysis of local mainstream newspapers in Vancouver was conducted to ascertain how bid proponents constructed arguments to articulate the benefits of bidding for and hosting the 2010 Games. Findings showed that pro-bid arguments were framed around non-sport infrastructure, economic, and social legacies. These legacy frames provided a particular viewpoint of how legacy was presented and strategically used by bid proponents. Considering that the Olympic Games are increasingly positioned as tourism mega-events, this study also explored how destination marketers’ perspectives on the notion of legacy influenced the design, implementation, and management of event leveraging strategies. Results showed that destination marketers’ perspectives on legacy varied depending on their organizations’ mandates as well as the aspirations of their destination. In addition, the desire to plan for and generate long-term tourism legacies (and by extension economic legacies) fostered a collaborative approach to the development of leveraging strategies for the host city, region, and country. Due to a lack of empirical research on longer-term economic leveraging, the process of maximizing the benefits of hosting is largely shaped by practice. This gap in the literature was addressed by examining and evaluating the existing empirical studies on event leverage. Three areas of research were highlighted for scholars interested in exploring long-term economic event leveraging: i) collaboration of event stakeholders; ii) creation or appointment of co-ordinating organizations; and iii) leveraging mega events as part of a destination’s event portfolio.
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- Graduation date
- Spring 2015
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.