Analysing the politics of the 2012 London Olympics, Stephen Wagg examines the framing of London's bid to host the Games, arguments about the Games' likely impact and the establishment of 'Fortress London' to protect the Games. The book asks who won, and who lost out, in this important event as well as exploring its media coverage and legacy.

The summer Olympic Games are renowned for producing the world’s biggest single-city cultural event. While the Olympics and other sport mega-events have received growing levels of academic investigation from a variety of disciplinary approaches, relatively little is known about how such occasions are experienced directly by local host communities and publics. This ethnography examines the everyday policing of the London Borough of Newham in relation to the London 2012 Olympics. It explains how police defined, monitored, prioritized, contained and investigated ‘Olympic-related’ crime, and how ‘Olympic-related’ policing connected to the policing of Newham. The authors examine how the threat of terrorism impacted on the everyday policing of the 2012 Olympics, as well as the exaggeration of other threats to the Games – such as youth gangs – for political reasons. The book also explores local resistance to Olympic policing, and the legacy of the Games with regard to policing, local housing, demographics and social exclusion. Discussing the lessons that can be learned for the future staging of sporting mega-events, this book will appeal to scholars and students with interests in sport, policing, crime and criminology, mega-events, event management, urban studies, global studies and sociology.

The Handbook of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is an officially-licensed account of the world's greatest sporting and cultural event. It tells the complete story of the 2012 Games from inception, through the successful bidding process and the planning and preparation phase, to delivery, the post-Games period and legacy. Written by a world-class team of international sport scholars, researchers and writers, the book offers comprehensive analysis of the full social, cultural, political, historical, economic and sporting context of the Games. From the political, commercial and structural complexities of organising an event on such a scale, to the sporting action that holds the attention of the world, this book illuminates every aspect of the 2012 Games, helping us to better understand the vital role that sport and culture play in contemporary global society. The book is divided into two volumes. Volume One: Making the Games, examines the build-up to London 2012, covering key topics such as: the bidding process planning and decision making financing the Games developing the infrastructure engaging national and international governing bodies of sport engaging the UK public engaging a global public developing a legacy programme the Cultural Olympiad. Richly illustrated with the personal accounts of key stakeholders, from sports administrators and politicians to athletes and spectators, and including essential data and evocative visual material, this book is essential reading for anybody with a personal or professional interest in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, global culture or the development of sport.

The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in 2012 was largely celebrated as the greatest ceremony ever. It won over critics and the general public, and made a nation proud. This book describes the entire rehearsal process of the volunteers, told from a performer's perspective, for what most agreed was the most spectacular part of the show.

A perfect companion reference for Sydney 2000, this "bible of the Olympics" includes not only statistics for each event, but also the exciting stories behind them. 211 photos.

The Handbook of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is the first authoritative and comprehensive account of the world’s greatest sporting and cultural event. It tells the complete story of the 2012 Games from inception, through the successful bidding process and the planning and preparation phase, to delivery, the post-Games period and legacy. Written by a world-class team of international Olympic scholars, the book offers critical analysis of the social, cultural, political, historical, economic and sporting context of the Games. From the political, commercial and structural complexities of organising an event on such a scale, to the sporting action that holds the attention of the world, this book illuminates the key aspects of the 2012 Games, helping us to better understand the vital role that sport and culture play in contemporary global society. The book is divided into two volumes: Volume Two - Celebrating the Games, examines the period of competition and immediately afterwards, covering key topics such as: London welcomes the world - hospitality and the look of the games Experiencing the games -spectators, tourists, volunteers, shoppers, viewers Media and communications Running the games Creating Olympic celebrities Protesting the games Commerce, retail and consumption Documenting London 2012 in films and books The legacy of the 2012 Games for London, the UK and the Olympic Movement Richly illustrated with the personal accounts of key stakeholders, from sports administrators and politicians to athletes and spectators, and including essential data and evocative visual material, this book is essential reading for anybody with a personal or professional interest in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, global culture or the development of sport.

This is the second in a series of National Audit Office reports on the preparations for hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (the first report was HC 252, session 2006-07, ISBN 9780102944273). It examines the development of the budget - costs, provisions and funding - for the venues and infrastructure required to host the Games and related costs such as security. On 15 March 2007 the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced to Parliament the budget for the Games and infrastructure associated with the Olympic Park and other venues totalling £9.325 billion, some £5.289 billion higher than the cost estimate at the time of the bid in gross terms. This increase in cost estimates, along with a reduction in anticipated private sector funding, means that public sector funding for the Games has increased by £5.906 billion (which includes contingency of £2.747 billion which may not be used in full.) The overall conclusion is that the budget announced in March 2007 represents a significant step forward in putting the Games on a sound financial footing and should help those involved in delivering the Olympic programme to move forward with greater confidence. The budget process followed has been thorough, and the judgements and assumptions made by the Department and the Olympic Delivery Authority have been informed by detailed analysis and expert advice. Significant areas of uncertainty remain such as the finalisation of detailed design specifications, the legacy benefits to be delivered, how potential suppliers will respond to invitations to bid for work, and the impact of inflation in construction prices, as reflected in the high level of contingency that has been provided for. A number of recommendations are made covering the management of the budget and risk.