Organizing committees for the Olympic Games and satellite host local organizing committees: examining their relationships and impact on legacy creation

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the Interorganizational Relationships (IORs) between an Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) and satellite host Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) and to explore how these relationships affected the creation of Olympic legacies in these periphery locations. Methods: An embedded cross-case analysis of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games was built. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) served as the primary case, and related satellite host LOCs (i.e., Athens, Columbus, Conyers, and Savannah) were the multiple units of examination. A content analysis of archival materials, official documents, and transcriptions of stakeholder interviews were conducted. Findings: ACOG engaged in IORs to improve their stability, asymmetry, and legitimacy while enhancing efficiency, reciprocity, and individual-level factors were motives shared by ACOG and the LOCs. Formal controls and informal processes managed these relationships. Consequently, the Games and the IORs acted as a catalyst for legacy creation in the satellite host settings. Practical Implications: Event organizers and stakeholders should consider the implications IORs have on long-term outcomes so host organizing committees and surrounding communities could more strategically implement additional resultant legacies. Research Contribution: The study's findings provide a new understanding of the impacts IORs can have on the longevity of legacy outcomes.