The French capital Paris has nearly reached the €9 billion mark in its expenditure for organizing the Summer Olympic Games. The executive director of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, Etienne Thobois, emphasized the focus on a balanced budget rather than profit.
“Our goal is not necessarily profit. We have always tried to spend what we earn. We want to organize unforgettable games and achieve this with a balanced budget. That is our task. We have left a small buffer and hope not to have to use it, so that in the end we will be in the plus, but certainly the amount will not be significant,” Thobois commented.
The rise in expenses is largely attributed to the addition of extra security measures during the Olympics. Over 80,000 personnel, including police officers, gendarmerie, military personnel, private security, and uniformed forces from abroad, will ensure public order during the Games, which are scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
Furthermore, additional funds have been allocated to public transport employees and workers in certain public services to mitigate the threat of possible strikes during the event.