Atlanta’s Olympic legacy: It’s there, even if not always obvious
OK, so not everything about our Olympics was splendiferous. In 16 years, we still haven't gotten over Izzy. (AJC photo by Joey Ivansco)
Sixteen summers ago, we were London. The eyes of the world — and not just that segment of the population that cares about sports — were on Atlanta. Some critics found us wanting. Juan Antonio Samaranch, the head of the International Olympic Committee, denied the Atlanta Games his customary “best ever” benediction. No matter.
We had the Olympics. Big things happened. Michael Johnson ran really fast. Kerri Strug made her valorous vault. The U.S. men and women won in basketball, and the U.S. women won in soccer. And there was, sad to say, a bomb explosion in Centennial Olympic Park that killed a woman named Alice Hawthorne.
We, meaning all of us Atlantans, have an Olympic legacy. But there are times when you have to look hard to see it. “Usually the icon for the Olympics is the Olympic Stadium,” said Bob Hope, an Atlanta public relations executive. “When you look at ours, you see the Braves’ stadium.”
Our Olympic Stadium, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field, began to become Turner Field almost as soon as the Olympic flame was doused. Speaking of which: The caldron that housed the flame, memorably lit by Muhammad Ali, now stands in a parking lot a block up Hank Aaron Drive.
“It just sits there,” said Andrew Young, the former Atlanta mayor who was chairman of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, speaking to the AJC’s Jill Vejnoska last year. “I pass right by it and don’t see it.”
Other than Centennial Olympic Park, which has become a focal point of downtown, there aren’t many visible points of reference to those 17 days in 1996. This was not some oversight. This was, on the contrary, by design.
Said A.D. Frazier, who was the chief operating officer for ACOG: “We didn’t build anything that didn’t have an after-use … The organizing committee had to use its own money, and we raised every penny of the $1.7 billion. We couldn’t afford to build monuments that weren’t going to be used for anything.”
Also this: “We were on a budget. We sweated over every nickel.”
And that’s the other part of our Olympic memory: The continuing wonder that those Games graced our burg at all. Before the Olympics, Atlanta was known mostly for Coca-Cola, Ted Turner’s cable network and our airport. Said Frazier: “If you look at the cities that have hosted the Summer Games — Rome, London, Mexico City — those are world-class cities. Having the Olympics puts you in a different class.”
More Frazier: “We’re certainly proud to have hosted the Olympics. It had a powerful impact on the way Atlanta people see themselves. For two weeks we were the center of attention in the whole world … Our Olympic legacy is that it set us up for some really good things to happen in the civic center.”
And maybe that’s it. Maybe we in Atlanta reacted to the Olympics the way we react to most things. “We move on,” Hope said. “That’s the nature of our town. Traditionally we haven’t honored great architecture or great buildings. We don’t have a great sense of heritage.”
Even if little about Turner Field recalls its Olympics usage — the same applies to the Georgia Dome, where gymnastics and basketball were staged on separate sides of a curtain — what would have been the alternative? Said Taz Anderson, an Atlanta entrepreneur: “I don’t know what you do with an Olympic stadium other than look at it … It was pretty clever to turn ours into a ballpark.”
Frazier: “I think all the cities in America would be happy not to have had to pay a penny for their baseball stadium.”
The 1996 Games were characterized in the world press as utilitarian at the center and crassly commercial on the periphery — Frazier: “Frankly, I couldn’t give a damn what the Times of London says” — but nobody can say they left Atlanta in the financial lurch. If some folks were disappointed they didn’t make as much money as they’d hoped, no taxpayer can say he still feels the burden from those 17 days of 16 years ago.
Contrast this with Montreal, which was in debt for three decades after its 1976 Summer Games. Or with the 2000 Sydney Games, which needed a late infusion of government money for its show to go on. Or with London, which is, according to Forbes, spending between $15 to $20 billion (the bulk from public money) on its Games.
In the main, the Atlanta Games were a success — for Atlanta. Maybe not for the Times of London or the sawed-off Samaranch, but for those of us who remained after those 17 days. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t have a wonderful experience going to those Olympics,” Hope said, and the 16 intervening years haven’t been all bad, either.
Said Anderson: “Centennial Park is the most concrete part [of our legacy], with the kids playing in the rings. [The Park] cleaned up a whole side of town. That’s been very positive … Centennial Park was for Atlanta the remaining icon, and that’s pretty good.”
Frazier: “The legacy I see is that a lot of people who live around here came downtown Atlanta and saw a lot of potential. The Midtown expansion, the Georgia Tech expansion — I can’t give the Olympics credit for all of that, but I think of the Olympics as the ink track in the water.”
Now, if we could just find a better place for that caldron …
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
143 comments Add your comment
Atlanta Olympics 2020
August 10th, 2012
3:22 pm
Let’s get the Falcons a new home tax-free AND revitalize English Avenue and the Bluffs. The Olympic Village is all set: just kick out the nerds. And this time, host all the events in-state, screw Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. That Paralympics mascot, Blaze, should have been the Olympics mascot in 1996, so they can redeem themselves this time. Time to get rich (again)!
dawgfan
August 10th, 2012
3:23 pm
I think I remember Michael Johnson complaining about how there was nowhere to warm up at olympic stadium. They had to warm up off site somewhere and then hop on a bus to get to the stadium for their compeition. This is not how world class track and field meets are ran.
If that’s not Atlanta I don’t know what is though. Almost everything is ruined by traffic and logistical nightmares.
Thanks.
eddie willers
August 10th, 2012
3:26 pm
The world came looking for Scarlett and Rhett but found Bill Campbell and Munson Steed instead.
JSS
August 10th, 2012
3:29 pm
Like the exodus, they are to wait for two generations to die off before the word: “Atlanta” does not cause Swine flu like symptoms throughout the Olympic movement! Maybe those hustlers in Dallas can pull it off (stink eye)!
VolGuy
August 10th, 2012
3:32 pm
I think your description of the games as utilitarian is pretty much correct. The Olympics has become bloated with everything short of marbles being an Olympic sport. The whole thing is too much for one city to undertake. I think the Atlanta organizers are justifiably proud that the city was left with no debt. As far as the cladron is concerned, I have always concerned it ugly – a McDonald’s fry box on top of an erector set. Izzy and the pickup trucks in the opening ceremonies were awful. The worst was all the crappy booths that were sold to unsuspecting people by Mayor Excon and his buddies.
Tumbledown
August 10th, 2012
3:39 pm
I had a blast at the 96 Olympics. My memories of attending various events will never fade. On the plus side, the city was not left with debt. On the negative side, the curse of Turner Field began. Its first trick during its infancy was to place a spell on its neighbor at the time, Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium, causing the Braves to lose three straight home games against the Yankees in the 96 WS.
dougmo2
August 10th, 2012
3:52 pm
Mark,
I remember 1996. I made a lot of money because of my buddy, Bill Campbell.
-Munson Sneed
ben
August 10th, 2012
4:02 pm
I loved every second of the Olympics here. And as far as host cities being world class…. Athens is a giant dump!
Blazerdawg
August 10th, 2012
4:10 pm
More spectators than the three previous Summer Olympics COMBINED, first time EVERY country participated, NO auto traffic, GREAT entertainment, FLAWLESS venues, good weather, cool hotels, great athletic performances, inspiring opening ceremony (moments worth of pick-up trucks was no weirder or tackier than in other comparable shows), Muhammed Ali, awesome Marathon course on Peachtree, and a unique gathering place and legacy in Centennial Olympic Park.
It was a great and well executed event, particularly given the scale – over twice as many spectators over the London Games.
Just returned from a few “world class” cities and would take Atlanta over any of them.
Move and celebrate the goofy cauldron. Maybe enhance it a bit.
MB – very considerate of you to reference Ms. Hawthorne in this context.
Proud Altantan
August 10th, 2012
4:20 pm
@ JSS
You whine on every blog. Atlanta is a great town. ALL cities have their problems. Please GO BACK to the rock you where born under.
Shug
August 10th, 2012
4:22 pm
No city has come out of hosting an Olympics in better shape than Atlanta. I’m surprise there isn’t more talk of an Atlanta-model for hosting the games.
(By the way, didn’t that dimwit crook Samaranch proclaim Sarajevo that greatest Olympic city?)
Simon Bar Sinister
August 10th, 2012
5:42 pm
The most important thing Tech got from the Olympics was no great new dorms or a world-class aquatic center, although both of those are great.
No, the best thing Tech got was real grass in Grant Field.
Paul in NH
August 10th, 2012
5:46 pm
sidslid
August 10th, 2012
1:24 pm
One other thing. London’s opening ceremonies s##ked. I thought for sure they would get the distinguished Roger Bannister to light the flame. Still can’t figure out what was going on there. And then the bow to socialized medicine where American life expectancy is years greater than the Brits.
——
If by “American” you mean “Canadian” you are correct. The life expectancy in the UK is greater than that in the US. This comes from that noted socialist organization the CIA.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
Bernie
August 10th, 2012
5:50 pm
The Legacy left behind is a lot like Atlanta Politics! If you are politically connected, Your friends, family, relatives and associates were able to see many of the most popular events up close and for FREE! You were even being paid directly or indirectly for your efforts while you watched!
Meanwhile, delivering an inferior and costly product that would not last or be remembered only in terms of disappointment and disorganization.
In the end with disappointing results that will remain a constant reminder throughout Olympic History for other future HOST cities never to REPEAT!
Paul in NH
August 10th, 2012
5:52 pm
Shug
August 10th, 2012
4:22 pm
No city has come out of hosting an Olympics in better shape than Atlanta. I’m surprise there isn’t more talk of an Atlanta-model for hosting the games.
—–
You do know LA did quite well out of their games don’t you?
Billy Knight
August 10th, 2012
5:58 pm
Great Article Mark….I’ve been saying this for years….Atlanta got no credit for putting on a great Olympic Games but in my opinion it might not have been the spectacular light show that China had or what London just put on…but for the time (1996) with the technology available we did pretty darn good. The main point in the Olympic committee rewarding a city the Olympic games is funding….and what the city’s plan would be to use all of the Olympic structures once the game leaves. And in my opinion, Atlanta has done the best job in the past 40 years in accomplishing this feat…..We are not burden with debt….the braves have one of the best looking stadiums in baseball, and we put on a pretty darn good show. The only reason our city really gets a bad rap is because of the bombing took place which wasn’t the city’s fault….it was the fault of a lunatic.
JSS
August 10th, 2012
6:09 pm
So-called “Proud Atlantan,” You are a liar, but hey it that floats your lying boat, be my guest!
There were a lot of things to like about the 1996 Games, but to try and re-write the legacy and immense failures in their execution is a fraud!
Everybody sees it EXCEPT for a certain segment of so-called provincial “Proud Atlantans.” The NFL sees it, the Trade Organization of the Americas saw it, and any rational person sees it!
The saddest part is that it is unsolvable. It is not left-wing or right-wing ideologue thing… You can fix it! It is not hard, but telling and believing a persistent lie won’t get it done!
Mark (another one)
August 10th, 2012
6:14 pm
I lived in LA in 84 and Atlanta in 96. I enjoyed both and was proud that both were well managed financially. I remember the IOC wanted LA to tear down the Colisium (where USC still plays) and build a new stadium, but the locals argued that it would be great to hold two Olympics in the same stadium. The IOC’s focus is to be treated like kings. It reminds me of the arrogance of Formula 1 telling their hosts that they should expect to lose millions if they were allowed to host a race.
There is something weak in the DNA of the aristocracy of Europe and I am not envious of their thought processes.
old fart
August 10th, 2012
6:27 pm
My wife and I lived abroad from 92-97. We reveled in the Braves success. We were amazed and elated with the Summer Olympics held in Atlanta during out absence. Once we returned we could not believe how much the city had changed for the better. While never perhaps what it should be, the lives of minorities (okay, Afro-Americans) seemed to have really improved. The Olympics were an adrenaline shot for Atlanta. It may no longer be the city too busy to hate … but it sure is a hell of a lot better than it was prior to the Olympics. I am so proud of what the gang who made it possible for the Olympics to be held in our city did.
Browncoat
August 10th, 2012
7:01 pm
Well said Blazerdawg
Class of '98
August 10th, 2012
8:17 pm
Great column. But the memory of those pick-up trucks during the opening ceremony is still wince-inducing.
Dave
August 10th, 2012
9:26 pm
While ACOG didn’t have any money for monuments, the City of Atlanta does. If the City were actually proud of having the olympics, don’t you think they’d make one? I think their silence tells a story. I’ve often wondered why the cauldron isn’t constantly lit – wouldn’t that be a great monument? Instead, they leave it on a blighted street in a blighted part of town, and don’t even maintain its appearance. Pretty much the same attention the City gives to everything else within its jurisdiction.
Bob Meyers
August 10th, 2012
9:28 pm
Because of so many reasons.. The bombing- not Atlanta’s
fault .. Still killed the ambience of the games.
The not so hot openning ceremony, the Ali
Part was great.. And while I like Atlanta it does
Not come close to the big league cities of London,
Sydney, NY, Los Angeles.. In class or ambience
..
Because of Atlanta Games it will be a long time
Before we see the Summer games return ton
The US.
79
August 10th, 2012
9:56 pm
The lean-to’s surrounding Centennial Park reminded me of getting off a cruise ship in Nassau. Embarrassing beyond belief and 3-dimensional evidence of the cronyism of Campbell. If only the bomb had been set off under the mayor’s desk…..Worst Olympics ever….although I remain very happy Tech got big-time bling……..
JD
August 10th, 2012
9:58 pm
No taxpayer debt is the legacy of the Atlanta Games. AD and Billy got it paid for with ACOG money from sponsors and kept the IOC happy without leaving the city in debt. The reason Samaranch didn’t say it was the best ever is because he didn’t get to siphon off enough money to his personal accounts. As AD said, free baseball stadium was a great deal. Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was on it’s last legs.
JD
August 10th, 2012
10:06 pm
Centennial Park replaced a warehouse district, Falcon Hotel and nightclub where shootings were a weekly occurence. Don’t care that venders filled the parking lots near the park, that area is forever changed.
JSS
August 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
“free baseball stadium”
You mean free for a billionaire who used it to leverage even more millions for himself when he sold it to multi-billion dollar conglomerate who in turn leveraged it again… Only in Atlanta does subsidizing corporate welfare find so much love!!!
David Granger
August 11th, 2012
12:07 am
Good points, Mark. I think it was very smart and cost-effective to build things that could then be modified for other uses. Centennial Olympic Park was brilliant, and a hell of a lot of fun…especially with kids from around the world splashing in the fountain. (I do wish we had the Olympic Torch there somewhere.) GT got a world-class natatorium, we got a very nice baseball stadium, Tech and GSU got some dorms, there’s a very nice horse park in Conyers…and we’re not saddled with a bunch of debt.
One big problem was that when we were competing for the Olympics, we had…in Andrew Young…one of our best mayors ever. But during the last frenzied two-year crunch to get the games ready and during the games, we had…in Bill Campbell…the sorriest and most corrupt mayor we’ve ever had. He thought the Olympics would be a cash-cow for him and his cronies (screw the city!), and they ended up renting out every damn scrap of pavement in the city. No telling how many vendors lost their tails off because they believed the promises that Campbell’s office were making. You had to walk through a flea market to get to anything, it seemed like.
max j
August 11th, 2012
12:09 am
atlanta—one of the worst run olympics ever. Who was in charge of that debacle?
Disaster
August 11th, 2012
12:27 am
Olympics should never have been awarded to Atlanta and I’ll guarantee the IOC would reverse their decision if they could have. This town is all fluff and no substance. Whether it’s Billy Payne or Arthur Blank blowing smoke up our skirts, it’s the same old thing here- mediocrity personified. Our geography and sports teams are all just ok. There’s nothing special about who we are, what we do, or anything we’ve accomplished. The IOC made a huge mistake awarding the games to Atlanta and will never take such a chance again for a long time to come.
Disaster
August 11th, 2012
12:29 am
One more thing……..the Braves have never been the same since moving to Turner Field- another disaster in it’s own right.
Matt the Brave
August 11th, 2012
12:48 am
The best use of Olympic Stadium would have been to create a new Falcons stadium. However, the Georgia Dome was only four (maybe a pinch more, feel free to correct) years old at the time. Also, it should be noted that RFK Stadium being used for soccer showed that it could be a sustainable place for MLS, plus the kayaking on the Ocoee essentially built an industry for the North Georgia/Southeast Tennessee mountains.
BW
August 11th, 2012
1:25 am
The Olympics consistently leave the host city with massive debt. I read a good quip recently. If the Olympics provide such great infrastructure boosts and economic boosts for the host city, shouldn’t the host cities be like Detroit and not London, which is already a world class city?
Proud of Atlanta
August 11th, 2012
5:57 am
Atlanta still has the record for most tickets sold. It hasn’t even been close until this year. It wasn’t run by the government but by private enterprise – a true testament to America and what we stand for.
Anyone who lived here before and after and can’t see the differences is blind. The both sides of the downtown connector were able to pass under ONE side of the Marta overpass when it was being built before the games. I-85 north of the split is the current Buford Hwy connector. This wasn’t Olympic money directly, but it is the most impactful legacy.
I went to Tech in the late 70s. The mile and half between North Ave and the old Omni was practically a war zone -totally transformed.
8.3 million people saw events in 2 weeks = about half a million folks a day. My family had great experiences attending events. It is about athletes and spectators – not the whiney press or IOC folks who didn’t get their rumps properly kissed.
Atlanta still has had the most successful games financially and in attendance – the numbers tell the story. And don’t forget LA did a great job. US TV and sponsors still pay the freight. The entire US should be proud of our country’s and Atlanta’s legacy and say so loudly.
indigo
August 11th, 2012
6:22 am
Samaranch’s comments should have been so predictable. Atlanta came after the games in his home town of Barcelona, and he was not going to say they were better than his home town’s effort.
ask Mayor Campbell
August 11th, 2012
6:34 am
The atlanta Olympic’s were great just One major flaw and it was Mayor Campbell Mr slumlord turn it into a vendors flea market which was not be for us..he did best ruin what late late Mayor Jackson got here with Payne help….If Mayor idiot bellhop chief harward did her Job no bombin ….Campbell made us look bad with Lowery mouth n his flea markets gang….salein stuff he ruin it Mayor Bill Campbell 1996 Izzy’s brother!
Ted Striker
August 11th, 2012
6:51 am
Nice article. Adds perspective. Makes me appreciate ACOG all the more.
And Samaranch was bush league that year, although I give the guy credit where it is due. In his 21 years we saw his efforts give rise to the inclusion of pro athletes, a real effort to get to the bottom of the bribery scandal, and the return to profitability (versus bankruptcy) of the IOC.
RIP, Mr. Samaranch. You are forgiven because your good outweighed your ill conceived slight.
MONKATL
August 11th, 2012
7:41 am
I am Proud that WE hosted the WORLD , The 1996 Olympics are a ” Forever Moment ” in the Great History of OUR Beautiful and Sports Loving City. Nothing can take that away from ATLANTA, GA. USA.
Woofy One
August 11th, 2012
7:47 am
Atlanta was left with many legacy structures and they are simply not “boastful icons” nor should they be. Too many seem to forget the Paralympic games were here also and that Juan Samaranch made sure they were wedded to every Olympics going forward (thanks to the founding sponsors of the Paralympic games that year).
PMC
August 11th, 2012
9:53 am
Turner Field is a monument to how mind numbingly stupid our civic leaders are in this city. Brand new stadium for 1996. A good chance to modernize transit to and from the stadium and make it….like every other major market and world class city…. Oh no, no train stop for the new stadium.
Idiots.
PMC
August 11th, 2012
9:55 am
I don’t look to corrupt organizations for validation of viability. The IOC is one of the most corrupt organizations in the world.
Gene
August 11th, 2012
10:49 am
I grew up in Atlanta and lived there until a few years ago. The two sporting events that I will always remember are the 1991 World Series and the Olympics. The whole city changed for the World Series. It was magic. Same for the Olympics. There were certainly problems, but for the first time, regular people had access to Olympic events. Samaranch was a Fascist underling of Franco and should never have been allowed near the IOC. Now the IOC European aristocrats eliminated the vulgar sports baseball and softball and allowed BMX racing. The IOC is the world equivalent of the NCAA.
The Grinch
August 11th, 2012
10:56 am
The 96 Olympics were fantastic, however, the “tent city” scenes reminded me of 3rd world countries.
Mr. Dawg
August 11th, 2012
10:59 am
I’ve long said that I don’t give a darn about the negative reviews some gave Atlanta following the Olympics. We hosted them and no one can ever take that away. The games were great. I had an absolute ball having gone down there on four differenct occassions to see various events. For those in the press that complained about the logisitcs and the abiltiy to get from place to place, they must not have give much effort. I drove around downtown and faced what I considered lighter than normal congestion. I believe the press scared people away from driving. For the sake of prosperity I have a brick on Centennial Square. To top it off as you mentioned Mark, we came out of it with no debt. That alone deserves high praise. Atlanta did a great job in my mind.
Mr. Dawg
August 11th, 2012
11:07 am
…and let’s not forget Samaranch who after slighting Atlanta for being overly commercial oversaw an Olympic Committee that ended up being embroiled in a bribery scandal in the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. If anything about Olympics history is worthy of criticism that should be at the top of the list or at least close to it.
LakeDawg
August 11th, 2012
11:49 am
I will give Atlanta credit for functionally providing a great Olympics. Everything went relatively smooth and the venues were top notch. However, the image Atlanta gave the world was of a city that was crass and greedy. The Olympics were put on to help Atlanta’s business community and it showed. Not much Olympic spirit supplied by the city. It all came from the athletes and fans.
Dnice
August 11th, 2012
12:45 pm
We have nothing to look down on because we did an excellent job from the events to the parties. I was a college sophmore and really enjoyed myself especially when my father and I visited a baseball game and I received an autographed ball from the Cuban National team. In 2002 I was at my first duty station as an officer, stationed in Korea and I had a the chance to see the remnants of the Seoul Olympics. Trust me, the Seoul Olympics looked liked they had happened back in the 1930s. Whenever I visit home I always think about that and feel so proud that my home and my country held the Olympics and did a Damn good job.
heartofdarkness
August 11th, 2012
12:55 pm
You forgot the natatorium on the Tech campus. I think one of the reasons Atlanta suffers in the views of Olympic insiders was the persistently visible “ambush marketing” campaigns that pervaded the games. This region got a look at big league venality with world class memories, when it hosted the Olympic movement.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/48568868
heartofdarkness
August 11th, 2012
2:11 pm
Atlanta gets a pat on the back from a presumably neutral evaluator, who looked at the results of the last 16 games: http://www.cnbc.com/id/45943877?slide=9. From the standpoint of revitalizing areas in economic distress, the 1996 Games must be rated a contributor in moving the blighted borders westward, and giving a boost to the concrete and steel construction industries, and the major sporting venues have paid for themselves, however, the goal of promoting sports participation refers more to amateur and youth, rather than corporate and professional, in the Olympic ideal. Still, inspiring the little people (as opposed to lightening their pockets) has never much been part of the Atlanta ideal, now, has it?
Mary Mac's Tea Room
August 11th, 2012
2:50 pm
1996, a very good year in Atlanta.