Sochi's Olympic Village is Half-Built and Full of Trash

[Renew Deal]

Sochi's in bad shape. With two weeks to go before the most expensive Olympic Games ever, the sleepy city on the Black Sea sort of looks like a giant garbage dump. All it needs now is a giant torch to start a giant tire fire.

Seriously, though, we already knew that Sochi was screwed; we just haven't quite been able to picture it. Now, though, thanks to Alexander Valov, we can picture it. Valov took a jaunt through Sochi's Imerati Valley, home to the official Olympic Park. While most of the main complex is shiny and new, Valov found crumbling sidewalks, half-finished hotels, and acres upon acres of filthy trash all around it. It's like a scene from City of God, only colder, cloudier, and thirsty for vodka.
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http://gizmodo.com/sochis-olympic-village-is-half-built-and-full-of-trash-1512657018

You need to go to the link to see the photos with the captions. Posting it here won't do it justice.

[Oscarmonster13]

1. Yikes

seriously?

This is bad. And I feel sorry for the athletes who train their whole lives to participate in this only to be let down by such awful conditions. :/
Wonder if it will be cleaned up in time? If that's possible...

[Renew Deal]

3. Once the games end

it will all be left to wither

[Auggie]

2. Russian authorities announced reporters covering the Games will have everything monitored ...

so who knows how accurate any stories of the success/failure of the organizers will be until everyone returns home. I'm surprised those Valov pictures got out.

According to this link:

In-progress stories, text messages, e-mails and phone calls (will be monitored). As Deadspin noted, "Almost surely an attempt to scare off any pesky investigative journalism before it happens." The government's explanation, essentially: It's for their own good, with security at a premium.

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkins/article/Russia-plays-different-set-of-games-with-5191188.php

You think the judging committee regrets not accepting the Salzburg bid???

[SoapBox]

4. Hmmm...

I'm a bit suspicious regarding the pics, since can't I verify when they were actually taken...and this captions? Totally snarky. That being said, I would like to see all the same locations the day after the opening ceremonies.

Just say'n...I went out to the Team USA Training Center in Chula Vista, California today. Wow, it's pretty cool but it was dead as a stone.

I was able to load up on all kind of stuff from their store! A couple of nice gals working there and had a good conversation. They mentioned that the Village had some flooding last night, when the Black Sea rose.

There is a big construction project going on...a new Archery area they the gals said when done in 2015 will be THE best in the world.