The Olympic Games are controversial.

They're amazing for unity & entertainment.

But they're a horrible business.

THREAD: A story of billions in costs, misaligned incentives & crippling debt. 🧵

172%.

Any guesses what that represents?

That number is % over budget.

Since 1960, the Olympics have run over-budget by 172%.

And no Olympics have ever run under-budget.

The Olympics have the highest cost overrun of any mega project in the world.

Olympics: 172%
Mega dams: 90%
Trains: 45%
Bridge & tunnels: 34%
Roads: 20%

The 2021 Tokyo Games is no exception.

2013: bid projected $7.4 billion of costs

2019: official budget of $14.6 billion

2020: budget revised to $15.4 billion

2021: government auditors project total spending will be $28 billion.

Tokyo is the 2nd most expensive Olympics ever.

At $28 billion, it's more than the GDP of:

- Uganda
- El Salvador
- Iceland
- Jamaica
- Madagascar
- Fiji