12 Facts About Atlanta Olympics

1.

The 1996 Games were the first of the two consecutive Summer Atlanta Olympics to be held in a predominantly English-speaking country preceding the 2000 Summer Atlanta Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

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2.

Nonetheless, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics turned a profit, helped by record revenue from sponsorship deals and broadcast rights, and a reliance on private funding, among other factors.

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3.

Atlanta Olympics was selected on September 18,1990, in Tokyo, Japan, over Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne, and Toronto at the 96th IOC Session.

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4.

The strong economy of Atlanta Olympics and improved race relations in the South helped to impress the IOC officials.

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5.

Greece, the home of the ancient and first modern Atlanta Olympics, was considered by many observers the "natural choice" for the Centennial Games.

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6.

Famed film score composer John Williams wrote the official overture for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, called "Summon the Heroes"; this was his second overture for Olympic games, the first being "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" written for the 1984 Summer Atlanta Olympics.

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7.

Atlanta Olympics received a four-year suspension in 1998 for tampering with a urine sample, though her medals and records were allowed to stand.

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8.

Preparations for the Atlanta Olympics lasted more than six years and had an economic impact of at least US$5.

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9.

The city's permanent memorial to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is Centennial Olympic Park, which was built as a focal point for the Games.

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10.

The Atlanta Olympics organizing committee threatened legal actions against advertisers whose marketing implied an official association with the Games.

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11.

The city of Atlanta Olympics had licensed street vendors to sell products from competitors to Olympic sponsors.

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12.

Former JPMorgan Chase president Kabir Sehgal noted that in contrast to many later Games, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics were financially viable, had a positive economic impact on the city, and most of the facilities constructed for the Games still see use in the present day.

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