Local Business Flop

[Anchor Lead]

The PyeongChang Winter Olympics were regarded as a great success in every way, especially in ticket sales. But the businesses in PyeongChang and Gangneung, which had expected a big boost from the Olympics, did not share in the success. Here's more on that story.

[Pkg]

This is the Jeongseon Alpine Center where downhill skiing events were held during the Olympics. Although it was a medal-deciding race, most of the spectator seats were empty. The lack of spectators was due to the public's relative indifference to the skiing events taking place in PyeongChang and Jeongseon. Nearly 30% of people who bought tickets didn't show up at the venues.

[Soundbite] Hong Dong-ju(Gyeonggi-do Prov. Resident) : "Watching the games at the venue was really exciting. But it was disappointing to see so many empty seats."

Spectators who actually went to the venues only stayed only within the Olympic compounds. The venues were far from the local commercial districts and the Olympic shuttle buses were serviced only to and from the transfer parking lots. Even group spectators, who took up half the total audience, were reluctant to stay overnight.

[Soundbite] Kim Beom-gu(Head of a Local Civic Group) : "People came just to this parking lot and returned right after the games. They didn't stay overnight."

In the Gangneung area, where skating events were held, only the businesses near the game venues enjoyed Olympic boosts. So, the city of Gangneung stopped running the City Hall cafeteria halfway through the Games and partially eased its alternate-day driving program. The PyeongChang Olympics Organizing Committee said that ticket sales exceeded the initial target by more than 10,000 tickets. But even with the success of the Olympics, it failed to please everyone.