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IOC warns 2018 Olympic organizers of white elephant venues

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (AP) — The International Olympic Committee warned organizers in Pyeongchang on Thursday that they risk creating white elephants from 2018 Winter Games venues.

Completing a final full inspection visit before the Feb. 9 opening ceremony, an IOC panel predicted a successful Olympics but said “definitive legacy use for several venues is still outstanding.”

“The IOC has once again requested that final plans be presented as a priority,” the Olympic body said in a statement.

Olympic venues that lie underused after the Games is a longstanding problem, and lately hurt the reputation of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.