ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book identifies the main features of the mega-event and its contemporary relationship to the sports industry. It addresses some of the complex urban issues and paradoxes exemplified by the cases of London 2012, Rio de Janeiro and Istanbul's candidacy for the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The book also focuses on the case studies from other cities and nations that have hosted or seek to host major sporting events to examine, in particular, the implications for urban development and for those who live within them. It discusses the state's approaches to planning that seek to address the spatial dimensions of the social divide between east London and the rest of the city. The book examines the social dimensions of legacy and the impacts of mega-events on communities as a central theme.
