Empowering regional economy with a spectacular space: mega-events, over-drafted capital and momentary growth in China's metropolises. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lin, George C. S.; He, Canfei; Li, Xun; Wu, Yifei
• Is Part Of: Area development and policy. Volume 3:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 24
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: regional development -- mega-events -- urban politics -- political economy -- China -- Beijing Olympics -- Guangzhou Asian Games; 区域发展 -- 重大事件 -- 城市政治 -- 政治经济 -- 中国 -- 北京奥运会 -- 广州亚运会; desarrollo regional -- mega eventos -- políticas urbanas -- economía política -- China -- Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín -- Juegos Asiáticos de Cantón; региональное развитие -- мега-события -- градостроительная политике -- политическая экономия -- Китай -- Олимпийские игры в Пекине -- Азиатские игры в Гуанчжоу; Regional planning -- BRIC countries -- Periodicals; Economic development -- BRIC countries -- Periodicals; Rural-urban relations -- BRIC countries -- Periodicals; Human geography -- BRIC countries -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Rural-urban relations -- Periodicals; Human geography -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 338.90091724
• DOI: 10.1080/23792949.2017.1349543
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2379-2949

Abstract

ABSTRACT: China's leading city-region governments have actively pursued momentary economic growth and spectacular spatial development by hosting mega-events. The cases of the Beijing and Guangzhou show that mega-events have functioned as instruments (ab)used by municipal governments to expedite land sales, relocate old state-owned industries, and drive migrant workers and the urban underclass out of the city centre. Improved environmental quality was found to be short lived. Hosting mega-events was a temporary stimulus prolonging the cycle of regional economic growth (and decline). The competitive edge of the central city was further enhanced at the expense of the disadvantaged and marginalized periphery. The findings of this research call for a critical re-evaluation of perceptions of space and place in studies of urban and regional development.