ABSTRACT

Legacy has assumed a considerable significance to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), host cities and governments over recent decades. In the wake of

their victory in the 2012 Olympic bid sweepstakes, British leaders have proposed an ambitious social-economic legacy for East London through the Olympic construction

projects. The London 2012 organizers will face the consequences of reconciling their ambitions with recent public concern over the cost of the games. We propose that it

is only possible to achieve productive reconciliation of these ends and ambitions through reframing the conceptualization of the games as a catalyst of urban renewal.