POST-OLYMPIC PERIOD

The benefits to Greece after the end of the Games was the axis used for designing the construction of the Olympic sport facilities. Within this framework, a decision was reached not to adopt the practice of erecting temporary structures, but instead to construct permanent projects with a full lifetime of use before them.
Every Olympic facility was examined separately and specific proposals were made regarding its post-Olympic use.

> The Olympic Weightlifting Center located in Nikaia (southwest of Athens), with a capacity of 5,000 seats, will be utilized as a training center with ultra-modern guestrooms for athletes. Due to its amphitheatric shape and its amazing acoustics, it will also be used for cultural events and conferences.

> In the Ano Liosia area, in the western suburbs of Athens, the Olympic Wrestling and Judo Center, with a 9,400-seat capacity, will be converted into a conference and cultural venue center.

> The Olympic Center for Rhythmic Gymnastics and Table Tennis in Galatsi (northeast of the center of Athens), with 6,000 seat capacity, will be utilized after the Olympics for sports, cultural events, and conferences.

> In Peristeri (in the western suburbs of Athens), the construction of the Olympic Boxing Center will provide a boost to the entire Western Attica region. After the Games it will be transformed into one of the most important sport venues in the country, with a capacity for 4,000 spectators and both indoor and outdoor sporting grounds.

> The coastal region of Athens is developing into one of the most significant focal points for the Olympic Games and for the post-Olympic period. The Faliro Olympic Complex is the site of one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in Europe. The city is connected to the seafront by the creation of an esplanade, which will constitute a focal point for leisure activities after the games.
The Olympic Beach Volley Center will be converted into a multi-purpose space with the capacity to hold 4,000 spectators. The Olympic Sailing Center in Agios Kosmas is slated to work as a recreational area, used for sea sports and entertainment that is set to attract visitors from all around. The old Athens airport, in the region of Hellenikon, will be converted into a 21 sq. mile-Metropolitan Park.

> In the Municipality of Markopoulo, in eastern Attica, the Olympic Equestrian Center along with the Olympic Shooting Center are planned to operate as reception areas for amateur sports, cultural events, and to serve as conference centers as well as recreational and tourist areas.

> The Olympic Rowing and Canoeing-Kayaking Center in Schinias (in northeast Attica) is turning into a unique environmental site for the protection and improvement of the natural ecosystems of the overall region. Following the Olympics it will be utilized as a training center for teams from all over the world.

> Besides the Olympic sporting centers, post-Olympic use has been set out for other infrastructure developments. The International Broadcasting Center will be transformed into a space for cultural venues, shopping, and offices. Similar functions are foreseen for the Main Press Center.

> The major Olympic Games project, the Olympic Village, will be turned over to 10,000 beneficiaries of the Labor Housing Organization after the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thus the project will have multiple benefits for Greece and fulfill social commitments.

> The seven Media Villages will accommodate 10,000 journalists. The Media Villages at the University (with a 700-bed capacity) and the Polytechnic School (with a 670-bed capacity) of Athens will be utilized to meet student-housing needs. One of the Media Villages in Maroussi (a northern suburb of Athens) will accommodate 1,000 journalists during the Games and later house the administrative services for the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. In the region of Amygdaleza (northwest of Athens) the facilities of the Media Village will be utilized as the Police Officers Academy after the Olympics. The remaining Media Villages will operate as administrative offices.