According to economist and professor Andrew Zimbalist, the 2004 Athens Olympics went a mind-boggling $15 billion over its initial $1.6 billion budget -- an overspend of over 800%.
The lion's share of the added costs fell on the shoulders of a Greek government which has been unable to pay its debts due to an overriding financial crisis that has crippled the nation's economy.
Now, Athens is left with a bunch of stadiums they have no use for, with the venues for softball, beach volleyball, and kayaking all deserted and covered in weeds. The following photos, courtesy of Business Insider, are a stark reminder of just how much hosting an Olympics can cost a country and just why the IOC is having trouble finding nations to host the event.