The Mega-Event Syndrome: Why So Much Goes Wrong in Mega-Event Planning and What to Do About It

There are common dynamics that plague mega-event planning everywhere in the world to a greater or lesser degree, or what the author of this research article calls the mega-event syndrome. The concept of “syndrome,” drawn from medicine, suggests the presence of a set of symptoms that occur together, recognizing that these symptoms may be interrelated and have shared underlying causes. On the basis of 51 interviews with mega-event planners, managers, politicians, and consultants; field visits to mega-event sites in 11 countries; and offi cial documents, polls, and media reports, the author identify seven major symptoms that together form the mega-event syndrome.