The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics cost $40 million, according to the Washington Post, but much of the venues built to host the Olympics are left abandoned and unused. In just eight short years, Beijing is left with a bunch of stadiums they have no use for. The venues for baseball, beach volleyball, BMX, some water events and the opening and closing ceremony stadium are all deserted and decrepit.
The following photos are a reminder of just how much hosting an Olympics can cost a country. Below, we have what the venues looked like during the Olympics and what they look like now. It's a truly stunning difference. While the Beijing Olympics venues' aren't the worst in Olympic history, most of the buildings have essentially become ruins in just a few years.
Here's "The Bird's Nest," which held the opening and closing ceremonies.
Now, it's nothing but an abandoned stadium.
The Beijing Water Cube was truly a marvel and stunning to look at. It held the swimming sand diving events.
Now, it doesn't look anywhere near as stunning.
The Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park was downright awesome during the Olympics.
But now, it's complete dried up and not even being used.
At the time, the Beijing Baseball Stadium was a pretty cool stadium.
Too bad it was doomed. No, seriously, this is the stadium.
The BMX bike track was easily one of the best in the world at the time.
Too bad it looks like it's been completely left to rot since.
During the Olympics, the Beijing Volleyball Stadium was well-maintained and rather beautiful.
But now it looks like it hasn't been touched since the Olympics ended.
