Paris Olympic Village Prepared on Schedule as Confidence Builds
An inauguration ceremony at the expansive location in northern Paris will feature President Emmanuel Macron as the guest of honor, along with chief organizer Tony Estanguet and a small number of French athletes. Throughout the Olympics, which begin on July 26, roughly 40 low-rise towers will house about 14,000 individuals. Another 9,000 individuals will be accommodated during the Paralympics that follow. The critical Olympic infrastructure has met the March 1 handover deadline, affirming France’s ability to deliver on time, according to an advisor to Macron who spoke anonymously to reporters earlier this week. Despite the complexity of the site, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the deadlines have been met. According to Macron’s office, the village’s budget is only 3.0 percent above budget when inflation is taken into account. This is further evidence that the Paris Games can avoid the pitfalls of past editions, such as wasteful overspending and extravagant...