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Gripes over stadium overshadow 2020 Olympic Games euphoria

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No need to spend obscene amounts of money nor the need to use obscene amount of land. People are still living in temporary housing in Tohoku. Why not help them first.

18 ( +20 / -2 )

@sillygirl

My thoughts exactly ! (But I got thumbed down for writing them...)

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Inose is a weasal! He was so happy when Tokyo was selected, and he wants to enjoy the fruits of the Olympic bid, but he doesn't want to pay for it. He stated that it will be the national stadium, so Tokyo doesn't have to contribute to it. Ok, then build it in Saitama, and see how happy he is then!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Like most stadiums, this demonstrates the modern capitalist system - socialize costs and privatize profits. This will be paid for by public taxes, or more accurately public debt. The profits will accrue to corporate entities who build it, use it for selling junk, media that sell advertising, and the companies who profit when they advertise. Ironically, the it is the biggest draw to the games - the athletes themselves - who will not profit at all unless they win the gold.

Sick. As Sillygirl said, "what about Tohoku?" No, like the Romans, we'll get bread and circuses. And I'm not so sure about the bread....

5 ( +6 / -1 )

If anything is "weird", it's that huge monstrosity of a stadium that looks like a giant UFO has landed! So hopefully they will come to their senses and trim it down a bit.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I get that people think it's too big but I find the explanations a bit odd. "It's important that people don't have to see it if they don't want to," What does that even mean? I have to see plenty of buildings that I don't want to. Why is this any different?

"If there is no event going on inside the stadium, it is just an enormous object." Okay, if you're not in the building how would you know whether or not an event is going on inside, how does an event going on inside the building change your feelings about it if you're outside the building and how is that different from any other stadium/event building? That's just weird.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

85 years old....says a lot why Japan isn't moving forward anymore

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I really liked the idea of the one that resembled a natural park, sadly people could just suicida from the top of the mountain, also there would be a large need for electricity, also if many people go to the top a disaster could happen, in conclusion, the one that looked like a mountain green was the most expensive.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The most solid and concerning reason to be so against is the price tag: $3,000,000,000 U.S. And taxpayers will be footing that bill, but taxpayers will not profit later unless they have something to do with the Olympics, and that will be a relative handful.

3 billion U.S.! That is near the GDP of Liechtenstein! Its outrageous!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

According to the article, this monster is the result of requirements by the IOC. These bozos set the demands for the size and the location. And the J-government accepted this to get the Olympics, so now they are stuck with it. I say cancel the whole Olympics bondoogle and let another city make their own concrete monsters. We don't need it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

the site has wonderful characteristics that should not be bulldozed and city and a country that should not be punished for an event that lasts only a few weeks seven years from now.

the design needs to be modular enough to make space for 80,000 people but at the end of the event to scale down to below that so that it isn't a burden.

I was thinking like a dining table! When you pull it apart to make more room. The use of sliding inserts or leaves. The stadium would still be built solid, but just solid enough. it's not a temporary structure but it's not permanent either, and can be then scaled down afterwards.

Now that would be a sight!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japan is known for world engineering excellent when it comes to heavy infrastructures. Image is important but don't over do it.

We don't want a repeat of "Concorde" where it achieved engineering milestones (faster than speed could travel) but a complete failure when it comes to commercial issues - too expensive and most countries do not allow Concorde to land in their airports, only a selected few.

Wise decision comes with wise planning.

Good luck Japan, you can do it both ways better!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Olympics are in many ways a show of the host nation's prowess, and each host nation is under pressure to outshine the one before it.

In about 20 years, I predict levitating stadiums.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

bigger stadium allows more, more, more ppl to watch the game, im not against this, i for one would be disappointed if i cant enter the stadium if it gets full easily. however it would be nice if they can explain how much money will b used, how the nation (ppl) will get long term benefit from it, make sure it will not become derelict after the game.

the china bird nest stadium was too big and no event organizer wants to use it because of the amount of money that will needed to maintain security with such a big space. If japan can solve this and make it usable for any event it would be wonderful! =)

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Ah, but it's all for the suffering of people in Tohoku, right? it's going to lift their spirits! They'll still be homeless, have no jobs, and suffer, but it's all for them. Pat yourselves on the back, JOC.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@Lidolani,

You called it like it is!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

because we only have seven years left, which is not a lot of time for construction on a big project like this.”

Then after, you'll start rebuilding Tohoku as they have time to wait there ? Build that huge thing in Fukushima. You can make it even 50 times bigger using lands that will never become good for cultivating nor living again.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Its not only the price! And I saw the other competitors - the Hadid design is the most obtrusive although most futuristic - "looking in the future", so may be that's why it won. Personally I think other designs that leave half of the area open air are much more natural. The helmet is beautiful but it covers the whole plot - don't know why they chose it?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They are just afraid of Zaha Hadid. She is a genius and they are not.

Resistance against Hadid's projects is well-known. Different countries, different projects but the same bunch of old male architects who are afraid that her creations will eclipse their works.

Here are the finalists and winners for the new national stadium design competition. You can decide for yourself.

http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium/Portals/0/NNSJ/en/finalists.html

http://www.jpnsport.go.jp/newstadium/Portals/0/NNSJ/en/winners.html

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I heard on Japanese TV that Fumiko Maki, the famous architect mentioned in the article above, started off this whole discussion, miffed that this new stadium will dwarf some of his own buildings nearby.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Olympics are in many ways a show of the host nation's prowess, and each host nation is under pressure to outshine the one before it.

Before tackling onerous issues such as stadium designs, can't this country do something about this legal discrimination against tattooed persons in public bathing areas? My local sento's continuing animosity against my friend's tramp stamp is outrageous.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Lidolani:

Actually, if you check the most grotesque oversized and wasteful structures, you will find them in socialist countries. So the claim of yours that it is "capitalism" which produced this is an own-goal.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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