Support of Local Residents for the 2016 Olympic Games

Abstract

Drawing on social exchange theory, this research explores and describes the structural relationships among (a) expectations of multidimensional positive legacy, (b) evaluations of the government work in preparation for staging, and (c) support of local residents for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. We proposed and tested a direct-effects model against an alternative partially mediated model, based on the data provided by a multistage (neighborhoods, residences, residents) stratified random sample of Rio de Janeiro's residents (n = 900). Results showed that the expectations of positive legacies can work either as a mediator between evaluations of government work and residents' support or as a factor that directly affects intentions to support, with no antecedents being necessary. At the moment of the research, Rio residents seemed a little skeptical of the government work and positive legacies for the country and, consequently, only moderately support the 2016 Olympic Games in the city. Lower income residents offer less support than higher income ones. Higher expectations are placed on tourism legacy, while lower expectations are on environmental legacy.