Last Sunday's Chicago Tribune (12 August) had an article about the positive and negative effects of the 1992 Olympics on Barcelona. According to the author, on the positive side, Barcelona showcased its cultural identity to the world and became a major tourist destination. However, the author write that on the negative side, housing has become a controversial issue as the costs have soared. This debate has manifested itself in areas traditionally known as working class neighborhoods of the city. Click here to read the article.

Chicago is currently bidding to become the host of the 2016 Olympics. Like so many other Olympic bid cities, there is a lot of debate about the cost to the residents and the long-term benefits and detriments about serving as host.

la historiadora writes: Where hasn't this happened in the years since 1992? Hasn't Chicago been hit by high housing costs? That's a 'fact of life!'

The Olympic Village was originally supposed to become low-cost, affordable housing for Barcelona residents. I don't think it turned out quite that way.

None of these factors detract from my admiration for Barcelona. There's no place in the world to compare with Parc Guell on a Sunday morning.

We visited Barcelona in '92 and I've been there twice since then (stayed with a cousin on Ti y Maragall).

Barcelona, the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada were already favored destinations for European tourists long before Franco's demise or Barcelona's Olympic 'bid.'

I agree with Eddie. Housing costs have soared in pretty much every city in Europe, and North America. I live in Vegas, and the prices for new homes have skyrocketed, but not because of any Olympic games.