For hosts, Games lose some luster. Some negativity by the Chinese,but I have contradicted a few of them.

[url]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25486610/[/url]

first of all, let me state, before addressing some inaccuracies, or
lack of realistic thinking on the part of the Chinese, that i have
heard some hotel rooms in beijing are going to go for $11,000 per
night during the olympics. that is just plain out and out gouging,
and should not be allowed to occur! and, here in the US, the US
Olympic Committee said they don't have the money, and that they expect
the families to pony up the money. this just reinforces what i have
said for many years about the olympics... it is not about the plebian
athletes anymore - it is all about big money. time for the "olympic
movement" to be rethought, and brought back to its original purpose!


all excerpts from the article presented for fair use, education, and
knowledge

*excerpt 1
BEIJING - It seemed like a great idea last year, starting a hotel-
reservation Web site for this summer's Olympic Games. Companies had
been calling travel agencies 17 months in advance to book rooms.

He Peiyuan, who used to work for just such an agency, calculated that
he could make more than $140,000 with his site, Beijing Hotel
Reservations. But so far, he said, all he's managed to earn from 448
customers is about $43,000.

"Chinese clients think the rooms are too expensive or the hotels
aren't conveniently located, and they're afraid of being cheated. The
foreign clients just hesitate to make a decision," said He, 24, who
has started to work at an art gallery for extra income.

*end of excerpt 1

well, He Peiyuan, the foreign clients are appalled at the rates being
charged for the rooms, honourable papasan. all of you people in
beijing and the surrounding area need to get together, put on your
thinking caps, and come up with more reasonable rates.

*excerpt 2

Tenants are upset that development has driven up the cost of living in
the city; drivers are bracing for major traffic congestion; and hotel
managers and travel agents are complaining that security restrictions
have held up business and tourist visas, keeping occupancy rates
unexpectedly low for the Olympic period.

"So many people expect the Olympics will help make China's economy
even more prosperous. But in China, the government operates
everything. As a result, the Olympics are not that efficient,
economically speaking," said Zhang Ming, a professor of international
relations at Renmin University.

In every Olympic host city, there is pre-Games grumbling. But this is
a city that had arguably yearned for the Games more than most, making
it all the more disappointing when the burdens of hosting the event
start to outweigh the benefits.

*end of excerpt 2

well, beijing, welcome to the real world. you complain of the
occupancy rates, but you jacked the prices of the rooms so high, it
should have occurred to you that people just would not buy at the
price. and, since china has had such a bad experience with this,
there won't be any more bids from china in the future for olympic
games.

*excerpt 3

Authorities in Beijing, for instance, have said they will limit the
number of trucks in the capital during the Games to improve security
and curb traffic. The move means stores are likely to find themselves
short of supplies.

"I just got the key of my new apartment last weekend. I need to buy
tiles, paint, sinks, a toilet, kitchen appliances, a wood floor. But
several construction stores told me they got government notices
encouraging them to close during the Olympics," said Yin Jun, an
editor in a publishing house.

*end of excerpt 3

well, yin jun, i am really surprised that you decided to buy this
close to the olympics, because of the high rates for everything real
estate near the olympics - the rates for hotel rooms, house rentals -
yes, even apartment rentals. but i am quite sure, yin jun, that you
did not buy the apartment that close to the olympics in hopes of
renting it out during the olympics....... and, since you apparently
aren't seeking to rent it out during the olympics, you no have to
impress the anybody, and the apartment, it will still be there after
the olympics, so all will be the ok.

see ya in beijing! ta ta!

<sauteedshrimp@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:198b71a9-ea55-4cd2-817f-44778116ed99@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> [url]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25486610/[/url]
>
> first of all, let me state, before addressing some inaccuracies, or
> lack of realistic thinking on the part of the Chinese, that i have
> heard some hotel rooms in beijing are going to go for $11,000 per
> night during the olympics. that is just plain out and out gouging,
> and should not be allowed to occur! and, here in the US, the US
> Olympic Committee said they don't have the money, and that they expect
> the families to pony up the money. this just reinforces what i have
> said for many years about the olympics... it is not about the plebian
> athletes anymore - it is all about big money. time for the "olympic
> movement" to be rethought, and brought back to its original purpose!

First of all, the report of $11,000 is not substantiated or proven. I doubt
it is true as I have seen many advertisements for lodging at reasonable
rates. Second of all, the athletes stay in the dormitories and eat in the
cafeterias. They do not have to worry about any apartment rental prices at
all. Third, the report of the US Olympic Committee saying they have no
money for this has no meaning. The US Olympic Committee does NOT pay for
any lodging expenses for the families of the athletes. The families have
always had to "pony up" their own living expenses. They are on their own
like all other spectators.