345) Relics or Resources

(Image from TIME.)

"Robotic Clouds Will Provide Shade During Qatar World Cup."

We see it every time there's an international event. The host city will bust out some crazy technology or build complete infrastructures seemingly out of thin air in order to put their best face forward. Money is never an object (where does that phrase come from?), and no timeline is too quick.

These robot clouds ("...essentially massive blimps, filled with helium, and will be floated above stadiums. Four onboard solar-powered engines will allow the clouds to be controlled from the ground, shifting along with the sun's zenith, serving as a huge umbrella in the sky to shade spectators and athletes.") come in at $500,000 each, which is "pocket change" for the Middle East nation.

While I understand the the investment made for these events is meant to come back to the host country through tourism revenue, I can't help feeling like there's something wrong with pulling out the stops only when the world is watching, especially if the cost is chump change. The other half of this is the integration and use of said infrastructures after the world has gone home. Are they woven into the fabric of the city (ex - the swimming facility built for the '92 summer Olympics in Barcelona is now a public pool)? Or do they stand as separate tourist relics, too big for community use (see: Beijing Bird's Nest - an interesting case study to watch. Unclear what it will become.)?

I love the idea of these infrastructures being repurposed to benefit the local community. TBD what will happen to these robotic clouds after the World Cup champion is crowned. Will they be relics or resources?

PS - Not to go all doomsday, but does floating giant robotic cloud blimps over millions of spectators/athletes sound like a disaster waiting to happen to anyone else?