Last Mega Olympics we’ll see

From NYTimes.com: After Glow of Games, What Next for China?

To a large degree, the Beijing Games reflected the might of the centralized power of China’s authoritarian system: The stunning sports stadiums contributed to a $43 billion price tag for the Games that was almost completely absorbed by the state. China’s 51 gold medals, the most of any nation, were the product of a state-controlled sports machine. Those successes are one reason that some analysts doubt Chinese leaders will rush to change the status quo.

In contrast, the Chicago bid for the 2016 games has a price tag of between $2-3 billion dollars.