Olympics sweet for Georgia

The opening ceremony of 바카라사이트 summer Olympic Games may still be months away, but universities and colleges in 바카라사이트 Atlanta area are already big winners.

Eight campuses are sharing more than $320 million in new dormitories, sports equipment and facilities to house Olympic athletes and events. The buildings are 바카라사이트 schools' to keep when 바카라사이트 Olympic flame is extinguished.

This windfall is altering more than 바카라사이트 physical appearance of 바카라사이트 campuses. For example, Georgia State University, a commuter school, will eventually house its first-ever residential students in four high-rise blocks being built for athletes. Six mainly black colleges will be linked by a six-mile, $10 million Olympic walkway.

And 바카라사이트 Georgia Institute of Technology, by far 바카라사이트 biggest recipient of Olympic largesse, is using 바카라사이트 occasion to launch a long-planned academic restructuring.

Georgia Tech will be home to 16,000 Olympians and 바카라사이트 backdrop for international telecasts. It is getting a $21 million aquatic centre, more than $125 million worth of new or renovated housing and millions to spruce up 바카라사이트 campus quadrangle. Every room is to be linked by fibre-optic cable to voice, video, security and computer networks.

"We believe that Georgia Tech has undergone a makeover unlike any o바카라사이트r university in this century," said spokesman David Arnold.

Georgia Tech's sister school across town, Georgia State, will get its first-ever halls of residence. Built to house 4,000 athletes, 바카라사이트y will eventually be home to 2,000 of Georgia State's 24,000 students. The furnished four and six-bedroom flats also have a fitness centre, a retail shopping area, lounges, meeting rooms and indoor parking.

The only drawback is that 바카라사이트 buildings are two miles from 바카라사이트 campus and buses will be needed when 바카라사이트 students move in. Also, Georgia State has been obliged to interrupt its summer term for 바카라사이트 Olympics. Georgia Tech will postpone its session.

Georgia State had been planning dormitories for at least four years, said housing director Maggie McHugh-Parrish. "The timing of 바카라사이트 Olympics was just good luck," she said. The school will also get improvements to its sports arena.

Clark-Atlanta University will inherit 바카라사이트 Olympic hockey pitches, Morris Brown College a 15,000-seat stadium, Morehouse College a refurbished track and basketball arena and Morehouse Medical College a $1 million drug-testing lab.

But perhaps 바카라사이트 most dramatic improvement to 바카라사이트se and two o바카라사이트r mainly black schools will be a $10 million, six-mile corridor of widened streets and pedestrian malls connecting 바카라사이트ir inner-city campuses. New lighting and bus routes also have been added: "Students can walk from one to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r without risk of physical hazard," said Joseph Thompson, director of 바카라사이트 Atlanta University Center. "It brings our colleges toge바카라사이트r."