Turin Wonders Whether Games' Glow Will Last
TURIN, Italy — The famously sullen residents of Turin said farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday, worried about the huge amount of money spent but savoring a new liveliness in a city not known for spirit or emotion.
Turin officials pronounced themselves satisfied with their handling of the Winter Games, but braced for what is often called the Olympic Hangover.
City boosters had a lot riding on these Games: They desperately hoped the $3.4 billion they invested in the spectacle would put Turin on the map and seal its transformation from a gray postindustrial city that had fallen on hard times to a modern, vital destination.
"Stereotypes are very hard to fight, but I think we showed this time that we can fight the stereotypes and win," said Anna Martina, a city official and liaison to the Olympics.
One challenge will be absorbing the collection of sparkling, expensively refurbished sports arenas and other buildings erected for the Games.
Some of the athlete and media lodging, for example, will be turned into university dorms and public housing. The Palavela, built for the 1961 centennial celebration of Italy's unification and renovated for the figure skating competition, will become a venue for concerts and art shows. The Fascist-era Olympic Stadium, site of the opening and closing ceremonies, will be used by Turin's soccer teams.
Turin Mayor Sergio Chiamparino told reporters that it would be crucial to keep the city busy and the venues in use to avoid losing momentum in the city's revival. Among the events the city plans to attract are world competitions in chess and fencing.
City boosters say they've seen a new sense of civic pride and energy that they hope will help move Turin from an economy that relied almost solely on the declining Fiat automaker to one that diversifies into technology, research, innovation and art.
"I think we have changed our mentality, that sense of failure that burdened the city for a long time," said Evelina Christillin, deputy president of the Turin Olympics organizing committee and longtime Turin resident. "A lot of seeds have been planted."
It took a while for the people of Turin to warm up to the Games. Tickets were too expensive for many locals, and winter sports do not have a huge following in Italy. That is particularly true in Turin, where many residents immigrated from Sicily or other parts of southern Italy; skiing simply is not part of their culture.
