The cost of developing a new structure from the ground up will just about always eclipse the cost of a retrofit. This holds especially true in crowded Tokyo, where land couldn’t be at a higher premium. The plan revolves around a retrofit of the Olympic stadiums built for the 1964 games, which ushered Japan back into the post – World War 2 international community and global attention through satellite TV coverage. Planners expect similar payoff for the city but this time with far less capital outlay than is common for Olympic development projects.
The 2012 London games came in at a total cost to the UK of $12 billion, while the 2014 Winter games in Sochi, Russia are expected to cost a jaw-dropping $50 billion.