Looking back on the 1980 Olympics begs the question, could Lake Placid support another winter of the Olympic games? Despite the existing structures from past Olympics, we feel that due to the increased number and participants and spectators, not only would a lot of new construction be necessary, preparation would also require renovating many of the existing facilities. As world class athletes prepare to compete on the biggest stage in the world, they expect (and deserve) state of the art facilities. Also, keeping in mind the sheer numbers an event like the Olympics draws, housing would be a major issue, especially considering that housing from 1980 was converted into a correctional facility shortly after the games ended. Entirely new housing would be necessary which poses a number of huge problems, including environmental and financial. Barring Lake Placid could find a way to responsibly host the Olympic games, it is not in their best economic interests. Even from the 1980 Olympics they ended up in the red by 8.5 million dollars.
While Lake Placid has once before survived and thrived from the Olympics, there is no denying that times have changed and the needs for these events have expanded rapidly. The Olympic games are quite literally the world’s biggest event. Athletes from all over the world, their teams, their staff, their families, their fans all travel to one place for weeks to participate in this grand televised festival. The Adirondacks have evolved into a paradoxical place that vehemently protects their natural resources and values this preservation as a way of life. The very idea of this festival opposes all that the park stands for. There is no way that the Olympics could coexist with such a natural landscape without leaving behind damage from people and infrastructure.
