Name: Frances Olympic village legacy: From athletes quarters to housing
Uploaded: 2024-08-13T01:14:53.058Z
Duration: 2 min 28 s
Description: The Olympics have packed up and left Paris, but they have left a few things behind in France. Billions were pumped into an Olympic village and sports facilities in Seine-Saint Denis, a city and region north of the capital, with a hope it would transform one of the poorest corners of France.

The Olympics have packed up and left Paris, but they have left a few things behind in France. Billions were pumped into an Olympic village and sports facilities in Seine-Saint Denis, a city and region north of the capital, with a hope it would transform one of the poorest corners of France.

Seine-Saint-Denis

The 2024 Summer Olympics are underway in Paris, with competition lasting until mid-August.

Paris Olympics

As athletes vacate the Olympic village in France, the area in Seine-Saint-Denis is set to transform into a blend of private and social housing. Nearly $4.5 billion has been invested in the infrastructure to improve one of the poorest regions north of Paris. Local officials are hopeful that this investment will bring an economic boost to the area. 

Despite the optimism, some residents remain sceptical. They highlight increased security measures but note little else has changed. Previous promises of transformation, such as those made during the construction of the Stade de France in 1998, brought new transport links and business relocations, but the economic benefits were largely seen by commuters rather than local residents.

Saint-Denis' local government aims to leverage Olympic-related investments to generate better jobs and transform the region into a tourist hub. They point to the refurbished rail station, new aquatic centre, and renovated skyscrapers as evidence of progress. However, some community members express concern over the rapid pace of development, desiring a more balanced focus that includes environmental and health considerations alongside economic improvements.

Local officials remain optimistic, viewing this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform a region home to nearly two million people, where nearly a third live in poverty.



France's Olympic village legacy: From athletes' quarters to housing

As athletes move out of the Olympic village, it'll become a mixture of private and social housing that it's hoped will bring an economic jolt to Seine-Saint-Denis. This region north of Paris has been synonymous with poverty and crime. Nearly $4.5 billion has been spent on infrastructure for the Games to try and transform these suburbs. But some who live here remain sceptical. For me, honestly, it hasn't changed anything. Now there's more police, more security, but otherwise nothing changed. And when the Games are over, I think the neighbourhood will always stay the same. This isn't the most deprived neighbourhood, it's not that bad. But yes, of course, there are always things to improve, things that we could have more of, infrastructure that we could have in addition to stadiums, that kind of thing. Saint-Denis has been promised transformation before. When the Stade de France was built in 1998, it brought new transport links and major businesses relocated their headquarters here. The white-collar employees who work for the companies that moved here tend to commute from Paris, while Saint-Denis residents travel the other way for lower-paid jobs in the capital. The local government wants to use that Olympic-related investment to bring better jobs here. The deputy mayor of Saint-Denis says this time the region will be transformed into a tourist hub. We have a quarter of a million passengers a day passing through our main train station. We have sporting infrastructure. We have the huge Pleyel Tower that's now a hotel. Our ambition is 2,000 to 3,000 hotel rooms here. We're 30 to 40 minutes from the two main airports of Paris. We want that all to give us a dominant role in tourism. There's a new aquatic centre next to the Stade de France. Saint-Denis' rail station has been renovated and a 1970s-era skyscraper has been converted into a hotel. But some local people worry the transformation has been a bit too fast. These projects are being done under the banner of the Olympic Games, but should have been under the vanguard of something better. We realise it's a city of economy, economy, economy, but what we need is economy, environment and health. Local officials hope this scepticism from some parts of the community will be proved wrong. They know this has been a once-in-a-generation opportunity to start transforming a region that's home to nearly two million people and where nearly a third live in poverty. Bernard Smith, Al Jazeera, Saint-Denis.

Human remains were found in Australia's southeast where bushfires raging for days have razed buildings, cut power to thousands of homes and burned swaths of bushland, police said. The blazes are burning out of control during a summer heat wave in Victoria state.

Victoria

'Gut-wrenching': Australian bushfires expected to burn for weeks

Iran's army is threatening to join the crackdown on protesters as demonstrations against the regime grow and the death toll mounts. Huge crowds have taken to the streets across the Islamic Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guard calls them "terrorists." Haley Ott has more details.

Tehran

Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

President Trump said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," earlier this week. But Greenland, a territory of Denmark and a NATO ally, is rejecting the threats.

Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

Trump, who often cites national security interests as the reason for taking Greenland, said that if the US does not do something, 'Russia or China will take over Greenland'.

Trump says U.S will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

Protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami, are taking place following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Police declared the demonstrations in downtown Minneapolis an 'unlawful assembly'.

Philadelphia

Protests spread across the U.S. over ICE shooting of woman

Internet and phone lines in Iran have been cut off as anti-government protests enter their second week. Reports say at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 others detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a possible U.S. response to the government crackdown.

Internet blackout in Iran enters second day as protests intensify

Rescue workers are trying to find dozens of people trapped under a collapsed landfill in the Philippines. At least four people have been confirmed dead. The incident took place on Thursday, with more than 100 workers on site at the time.

Cebu City

Philippines: Dozens still missing in landfill collapse

BRICS nations have launched joint naval exercises off the South African coast. Supporters say the drills will strengthen co-operation among emerging economies.  But critics warn they could deepen global divisions.

Simon's Town

South Africa hosts Russia, Iran and China for military exercise

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Saturday that safeguarding security was a "red line" and the military vowed to protect public property, as the clerical establishment stepped up efforts to quell the most widespread protests in years.

Iran authorities signal intensified crackdown as unrest grows

Luigi Mangione was back in court on Friday, where his lawyers worked to block the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty in his federal trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione pleaded not guilty in April 2025.

New York

Luigi Mangione's lawyers fight to block death penalty

Fire crews battle spreading blazes while communities face evacuations and power cuts.

Thousands of firefighters deployed to fight bushfires in Australia

The protest comes amid wider rallies against US immigration enforcement and over the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Minneapolis

Several arrested in Minneapolis during anti-ICE protest

Trump says U.S. will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

U.S. President Donald Trump began a meeting to discuss Venezuela with executives from some of the world's largest oil companies at the White House, saying he wants them to invest $100 billion in the country to vastly expand its production.

Washington

Venezuela Strikes

Trump urges U.S. oil giants to repair Venezuela's energy industry

The U.S. seized another oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean, U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Friday (January 9). The seizure of the vessel comes as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with oil company executives at the White House.

U.S. seizes fifth tanker linked to Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump is reiterating his threats against Iran's regime if violence and deaths continue during protests. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab has more.

Trump: U.S. to hit Iran 'very hard' if violence continues at protests

Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile overnight at a target in Ukraine near the border with NATO-member Poland, in what Kyiv's European allies described as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia fires hypersonic missile at Ukraine target near NATO border

A majority of European Union countries have agreed to sign a trade deal with the South American trading bloc, Mercosur. It'll be the EU's biggest free-trade pact and comes after decades of negotiations.

Brussels

EU approves Mercosur trade deal despite protests

The Trump administration is pulling the U.S. out of dozens of international organizations, including key UN agencies and the treaty underpinning global climate talks, marking a deepening retreat from multilateral cooperation.

Trump admin. withdraws from dozens of international organizations

The brother of Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, and head of the country’s national assembly has announced the release of a wide raft of political prisoners. It's being viewed as a gesture to seek peace less than a week after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces.

Cúcuta

Venezuela releases political prisoners

Residents in Portland, Oregon, protested Thursday after officials say two people were shot by Border Patrol agents. Gwen Baumgardner has more on how the shooting unfolded.

Portland

Two shot by border patrol agents in Portland

Russia launched a massive attack in Ukraine using drones and missiles, including a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile. Michael Bociurkiw, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, joins CBS News with more.

Odesa

Russia strikes Ukraine with hypersonic missile

Four crew members aboard the International Space Station will be brought home more than a month early in the coming days as NASA cuts its mission short due to health concerns.

NASA cutting current International Space Station mission short

Iran's supreme leader has condemned anti-government protests, denouncing demonstrators as vandals and saboteurs. Iran has shut down the internet and cut off international calls and is promising decisive punishment.

Iran's Supreme Leader defiant as protests grow

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader.

U.S. Senate advances measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Trump administration mulls paying Greenlanders to join U.S.

Iran’s connectivity drops sharply nationwide – As authorities tighten controls amid growing protests over the economy. NetBlocks says the apparent blackout follows ‘a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests’.

Iran experiencing nationwide internet blackout as protests intensify

The Senate on Thursday voted to advance a resolution that could limit President Trump's ability to continue military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. It comes as the president told the New York Times that he could see the U.S. having direct oversight of Venezuela for years.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. could have direct oversight in Venezuela for years

The crew at the International Space Station will return home early because of what NASA is calling a medical concern with a crew member. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood has more details.

Texas

ISS crew returning due to medical issue for first time in NASA history

President Trump plans to meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro after Mr. Trump issued threats following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. CBS News' Lilia Luciano reports from Bogotá.

See The Full Story

Paris Olympics