ABSTRACT
The Olympic Games are without a doubt one of the largest and most entertaining events in the world. At the 2012 London Olympics, for example, about 10,500 athletes from 204 countries participated in 17 days of events (BBC Sport, 2015), while numerous coaches, associates, and foreign tourists also visited London during that time. The increase in visitors allowed the host city to gain significant economic benefits as visitors spent money and jobs were created (Gratton et al., 2005; Gratton and Taylor, 2000; Misener and Mason, 2006). Hosting the Olympics has therefore become a great attraction to host countries due to the numerous financial, infrastructural, cultural, and tourism benefits it can present. Recently, the interest of researchers, politicians, and professionals has expanded to the study of Olympic legacy, the long-term effects of the Olympic Games. Olympic candidate cities and countries study the possible long-term benefits of hosting the Olympic Games before the bidding process even begins (Gibson et al., 2008). In the case of the 2012 London Olympic Games, the British government developed and promoted five legacy goals and an action plan to achieve those legacies (Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, 2008).
