Sustainable Tourism Development and Cultural Heritage Nexus in Post‐Games Contexts: How Can We Reimagine Olympic Stadiums?

ABSTRACT Drawing on heritage value theory, this paper examines nine stadiums globally and evaluates their long‐term outcomes with a three‐part heritage typology that distinguishes object‐based value (architectural integrity), evolution‐based value (post‐Games adaptability), and context‐based value (symbolism, memory, identity). Using comparative case analysis, heritage registers, and secondary sources, the study identifies recurring patterns that shape whether stadiums endure as civic assets or decline into underuse. Berlin's Olympiastadion, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Olympic Park, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Mexico City's Estadio Olímpico Universitario demonstrate how early protection, stable anchor uses, and supportive governance can align conservation with everyday function and cultural programming. By contrast, Helsinki and Montreal reveal how high maintenance needs, weak programming, or technical failures can limit adaptive reuse, while Wembley's demolition illustrates the costs of delayed or absent designation. Consistent with prior scholarship, the cases confirm that heritage stewardship remains primarily local rather than IOC‐directed. Recognizing Olympic venues through multidimensional criteria can connect tangible architecture with intangible memory and tourism value. The paper argues for earlier, integrated planning that links heritage assessment, governance, and sustainable tourism so that Olympic stadiums evolve as living monuments rather than infrastructure designed for short‐term event cycles.