ABSTRACT

In the context of urgency-filled mega-event preparations, contested urban projects can be fast-tracked to completion in the name of event. This leads to deviations from the existing urban agenda and undermines democratic decision-making processes – all while having longer-term socio-economic and physical influences. Since its post-industrial transition Glasgow prioritized event-led urban regeneration. Parallel to the preparations of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, projects labeled as vital for this event were realized, including the previously contested 657-million-pound M74 motorway extension. This extension, heavily relying on legal and political exceptions, was presented as detrimental for the successful hosting of the event and promised to solve the city’s traffic problems. This article explores the exceptional powers of mega-events in the delivery of troubled urban infrastructure projects via a case study of the 2014 Games. It demonstrates role the event plays in enabling the government to mobilize discourses to finally realize the controversial M74 extension.

摘要

在充满紧迫感的大型活动筹备的背景下，有争议的城市项目可以以活动的名义快速完成。这导致偏离现有的城市议程并破坏民主决策过程——同时具有长期的社会经济和物质影响。自后工业转型以来，格拉斯哥优先考虑以事件为主导的城市更新。在筹备 2014 年格拉斯哥英联邦运动会的同时，被标记为对该赛事至关重要的项目已经实现，包括之前备受争议的耗资 6.57 亿英镑的 M74 高速公路扩建工程。这一延期在很大程度上依赖于法律和政治例外，被认为不利于活动的成功举办，并承诺解决城市的交通问题。本文通过对 2014 年奥运会的案例研究，探讨了大型赛事在交付陷入困境的城市基础设施项目方面的非凡力量。它展示了该事件在使政府能够动员话语以最终实现有争议的 M74 扩展方面所发挥的作用。