April 11, 2021 – Greece and the Modern Olympics

THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.

WHERE TO?                       TASTE.                        SEE.

2004 Athens Olympics

If you want to see a Greek lose their smile faster than a bolt of Zeus’s lightning, mention the 2004 Games.

Unfortunately, Greece slides into a deep economic crisis four years after the games are over. What many seem to forget is that it was a worldwide recession, not just for Greece.

The Olympic games did not cause the crash.

What took the Greek economy to such a colossal depth was runaway government spending over many years. Underreporting by the government and crippling foreign debt puts Greece in the longest recession of any advanced economy.

Even Odysseus would have been at a loss facing this disaster.

But the 2004 Olympics cost nine billion dollars. If the government has that money, there would be no crisis. Everyone would be drinking wine and playing the lyre.

Sure they would!

The Olympics were not perfect, but they did do a lot of good.

Country pride swells from the moment of the announcement.

Athen’s would receive more than two billion dollars in infrastructure repair and additions.

A new international airport, opening all of Greece to the world.

New wide highways to replace the chariot paths they were passing off as streets.

Subway and public transportation lines begin stretching from Pireaus to the new airport.

What’s good for Athen’s is good for Greece.

All of this before the first athlete or television camera came to town.

And then the opening ceremonies. There is a lake in the middle of the New Olympic Stadium. Even I am proud to be a Greek. And I am not Greek except for my consumption of Greek food and wine.

The country pulls off a worldwide sales blitz for Greece that no marketing exec could ever dream of.

Sitting on Top of the World.

From the highest point on Mt Olympia, the Greek pride and economy would plummet a few years later. Persephone never reached depths so low.

Individuals, families, even companies with over a hundred years in business suffer greatly. Some will never recover. None will ever fully recover to pre-recession times, at least mentally.

I do not mean this as judgemental towards anyone, but lesser countries might not make it through such an ordeal.

Greece is making it through. But it’s still not over.

A Covid Operation.

In January 2020, Greece was ramping up to break the previous year’s record of 33 million visitors.

Tourism brings in more than 7% of the National budget and employs 10% of the workforce.

By May, every country’s economy appears to be in free fall due to a pandemic.

Greece has a lot of practice in patience.

And thanks to the Olympics, Shirley Valentine, Mamma Mia, even My Big Fat Greek Wedding, there are seeds taking root.

The Downside of the 2004 Athen’s Olympics. 

Several of the multi-million dollar venues from the Athen’s Olympics have not seen a visitor since 2004.

This is not a result that only happens in Athens. Most cities that host the Olympics now have stadiums, pools, ski ramps, or other sites in various stages of decay.

But that doesn’t make it any less wrong.

So, where does Athens stand on venues?

The Panathenaic Stadium has recouped its investment by hosting three Olympics over the last 240 years and staging other events.

Did you know that the Olympic Flame travels from Greece to every Modern Olympic?

They light the flame at the Temple of Hera in Ancient Olympia. Runners carry the flame through Greece to Athens’ Panathenaic Stadium. Here they hold a ceremony, turning the flame over to the host country for the first time. In this way, they link the ancient and Modern games.

During the 2004 Athen’s Summer Olympics, and every November, the stadium hosts the finish line for the marathon. The Athens Marathon, The Authentic, began in 1974, following the path of the first Marathon runner. And the name for the event comes from where the race begins, Marathon Greece, northeast of Athens.

2004 Athen’s Olympic Sports Complex.

• Olympic Stadium  – Holding 72,000, let’s talk about the large elephant in the room. Actually, it isn’t. It was a soccer stadium before the Olympics. Since then, it has been the host to local football (soccer) team Panathinaikos A.O. And concerts by George Michael, Madonna, AC/DC, U2, Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, and more. In July of 2021, Celine Dion may be performing.
• Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre – This was also a redo instead of a from-scratch venue. It hosts some professional events, and the outdoor pools are available to the public.
• Athens Olympic Tennis Centre  – The ten outdoor courts are available through membership. The indoor court sees little action these days.
• Athens Olympic Velodrome  – Also a venue needing updating for the Olympics, this cycling and track venue has seen very few professional events since the Olympics.
• Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall  – Has been hosting events, mainly basketball, since 1995. Post-Olympic events include a home court to Greek basketball team  Panathinaikos B.C. (Yes, almost identical to the soccer team’s name.) Concerts include Enrique Iglesias, Björk, Depeche Mode, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, and more.

This area seems to be holding its own. Are there cracks in some of the sidewalks? Yes.

Grafitti (vandalism by another name?) Yes.

Does it look as good as opening day? No, that was many years ago.

What looks as good now as it did in 2004? It could be a lot worse. The site is not open to the public outside of events. Groups of fifteen or more can arrange tours inside.

Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex.

This complex is in the Neo Faliro area of Piraeus.

• Peace and Friendship Stadium – Another stadium that just needed some makeup. Since 1991 it has been the home of the EuroLeague professional basketball club Olympiacos.
• Faliro Sports Pavilion Arena – was a new build for the Olympics. Called the Little Peace and Friendship Stadium, it holds 8500 and hosts touring shows.
• Faliro Olympic Beach Volleyball Centre – Also a new build for the Olympics. Since then, it has been sitting empty. Plans to tear it down have been in the works since 2016. As of 2020, it is still there.
  The Peace and Friendship Stadium anchors this area.

This area is doing well. Replacing the Beach Volleyball stadium with something that can maximize the space right on the water should be a win-win.

2004 Athen’s Helliniko Complex.

This whole area was a bit of a hail-Mary. With a new International airport east of Athens, The old airport near Pireaus was a lot of unused cement.

• Hellinikon Olympic Indoor Arena – Using the Olympic Airlines hanger’s metal frame, they built an NBA-quality stadium for basketball. After the Olympics, it would host several local basketball teams. Newer stadiums or updates make for a glut of basketball stadiums. But there is potential here.
• Olympic Field Hockey Centre – consists of one stadium and two additional practice fields. There have been almost no events here since 2004, and it is not in the best shape. Would a community soccer “park” for non-professionals work?
• Olympic Fencing Hall – This has become an exhibition hall and seems to be doing well.
• The Olympic Softball Stadium – Sitting between the old runways, this stadium has not seen action since the Olympics.
• Olympic Baseball Centre – Also sitting between the old runways, it saw a few post-Olympic years as a football stadium. Its most recent use was as a refugee camp.
• Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Centre – has been sitting dry since 2004. Pumps and filtration systems are probably rusty by now, but it screams waterpark to me. Isn’t Greece the home of Poseidon?

This area was sitting empty before the Olympics, and unfortunately, that only brought some temporary lipstick. Let’s hope with a stronger economy, this whole area can get a boost.

More 2004 Olympic Sites.

Goudi Olympic Complex.

Closer to the city center, this auditorium, built for the Olympics, became a concert and performance hall. Hosting everything from Dora the Explorer, to Mamma Mia, to opera. With the new Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center opening in 2016, Opera and many performances moved.

Markopoulo Olympic Complex.

Just a few miles south of the new airport, these sites are near wineries and the Archaeological Museum of Vravrona.

• Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre – is in the Larger Markopoulo Park, which includes a race track for horses, and off-road vehicles.
• Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre – was a new center for the Olympics. Today it is a shooting range for the Hellenic (Greek) police.

2004 Athens Olympic Village.

For housing the Olympic athletes, they build a new neighborhood approximately nine miles north of the main complex. 2,292 apartments were able to accommodate 17,000 athletes.

After the Olympics, they plan to build schools, hospitals, and more infrastructure. This will make it an affordable housing community for 10,000 people. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and the “village” sat empty before the economy went down.

As of 2021, there are now schools, markets, urgent care, a hospital, and people are finally moving in. There are still things to do, but it is progress.

Other Athen’s Olympic Venues.

Ano Liosia Olympic Hall – Built to host the Olympic judo and wrestling events, this stadium is north of the city. It then became a venue for various television productions, including the Greek “So You Think You Can Dance.” In 2020, it signs a 20-year lease as the home of the professional basketball club AEK Athens. 

Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall – is north of Pireaus and was the hall for the Olympic Weightlifting competitions. Post Athen Olympics, it held other sporting exhibitions. Today, the University of Piraeus uses it for a lecture and conference center.

The 2004 Athen’s Olympics Summary.

So, the Olympics did not plunge Greece into economic freefall.

The Athens Olympics put Greece front and center on the world map.

When you deduct the money that went to infrastructure, the Olympics made a profit.

Most of the venues continue to break even or show a profit. Not all Olympic host cities can say the same.

The people of Greece should be proud of their 2004 Olympics. Well, all their Olympics.

As of 2021, they still hold the record for the most volunteers at an Olympics. More than 160,000.

Travel will return. The Greek economy will strengthen.

Greece is heading towards another gold medal.

Read more about Athens.

Read more about Ancient Olympia.

Please scroll down to the “Enter your comment here” section at the bottom. Please comment or tell me your thoughts on: 

“Have you been to the Games of the Olympics?  Where was it? 

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“See the World” Continued on Page T3.           “Taste the World” Continued on T11.