Mega-events can captivate global audiences, stimulate economies, increase employment and endow host cities with significant tangible and intangible legacies. However, increasing problems of organisational corruption, escalating costs, exaggerated benefit claims and community disruption indicate need for mega-event reform. This conceptual paper supports a reformist agenda by using a core/periphery perspective to describe and analyse mega-event dynamics. The basic mega-event model consists of an inner and outer core which respectively contain the international and host mega-event elite, and a periphery containing the remaining host community. Unsustainable (dystopic) outcomes result when conflict-based interactions occur between a core employing its authoritarian traits and a periphery employing its anarchic traits. Conversely, sustainable (utopic) outcomes result when resolution-based interactions occur between a core employing its efficiency traits and a periphery mobilising its responsive traits. The paper concludes by discussing strategies for achieving the aspirational utopic scenario within a broader framework of enlightened mass tourism.

大型活动可以吸引全球观众，刺激经济，增加就业，并为承办城市提供重要的有形和无形遗产。但是，组织腐败，成本不断攀升，索赔要求夸大和社区混乱等问题日益严重，这表明需要进行大型活动改革。该概念文件通过使用核心/外围视角来描述和分析大型事件动态来支持改革派的议程。基本的大型活动模型由分别包含国际和大型活动精英的内部和外部核心以及包含其余主机社区的外围组成。当基于冲突的相互作用在采用其独裁特征的核心与采用其无政府特性的外围之间发生时，将导致不可持续的（错误的）结果。反过来，当基于分辨率的相互作用发生在采用其效率特征的核心与动员其响应特征的外围之间时，就会产生可持续的（异位）结果。本文最后讨论了在开明的大众旅游业的更广泛框架内实现理想的理想情景的策略。