Conclusion: After the Spotlight

This conclusion briefly revisits the preceding chapters, drawing out common themes and proposing some questions for future research. Each chapter used mega-events to explore the internal dynamics of host societies after the global spotlight, investigating the implications of hosting on a variety of publics. Brought into comparative perspective, the chapters reveal a global community of host cities and societies, each suffering from similar broken promises and squandered potential. Regarding future research, the conclusion underscores the importance of local context, attention to difference, and the role of time, restating the book’s overall dedication to exploring beneath the glittering Potemkin surface of these perpetually popular but perniciously problematic mega-events.