1992 Winter Olympics: Let The Magic Begin

Grandiose and a little garish, the Winter Olympics delight the tourism boosters and scare the region's ecologists

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Despite such doubts, Olympic boosters are in high gear. Albertville has printed glossy tourist brochures in four languages. Ski resorts are blanketed with garish billboards promoting Coca-Cola's Olympic sponsorship. Farmers' co- ops have stocked up on pine-tree honey in anticipation of record sales. Luxury hotels are booked solid with wealthy businessmen on promotional junkets. And in Albertville's Hall of Ice ("Don't call it a skating rink!"), volunteer tour guide Andre Cabot explains, "There's a grandeur to the Olympics. When it's all over, we'll say, 'How did we do it?' " A little Savoie-faire was all it took.

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