2023 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 380-399
This study compares and analyzes the explanations of proponents and claims of opponents against the Hokkaido Sapporo 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games bid utilizing the evaluation items for sports mega-events proposed by Müller and Gaffney (2018). Both proponents and opponents were not only originally organized in Sapporo but have also connected with national organizations centered in Tokyo and global organizations centered in Europe and North America, and have implemented their logic and action strategies in those multiple regions. For this reason, the explanations of the proponents and the claims of opponents are similar to those of past Olympic host and host candidate cities with regard to their bids. The proponents argue that the Olympics provide citizens with hopes and dreams, lead to urban redevelopment and revitalization of the local economy, and attract tourists. The opponents criticize the International Olympic Committee and the Olympics as a typical example of the celebration capitalism, and call for priority implementation of policies directly linked to the lives of citizens and the participation of residents in the candidature process.
