Sochi and Kremlin Inc.

We’ll have a more in-depth post on the Sochi victory later this weekend.

From the FT:

Public-private partnerships are not new in the world of mega sporting events. But in modern Russia they can take on unusual dimensions when tackled by the full force of Russia Inc, the network of state-controlled companies and the new breed of Kremlin-loyal oligarchs. For example, Gazprom, the state-controlled energy conglomerate, is stepping up as a resort developer and has taken it upon itself to build lifts for 50km of planned pistes. Perhaps it can also try to prevent the kind of power failures that are common today. And for a logo for the event, how about this: the Gazprom flame atop the Olympic torch.