Purpose – To examine how residents of Seine-Saint-Denis perceive the social and territorial changes resulting from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, considering the impacts of the mega-event on urban tourism, territorial dynamics, and sociospatial inequalities.
Design/methodology/approach – A multi-method approach was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The research included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a literature review on sport mega-events, urban tourism, gentrification, and sociospatial justice.
Findings – The findings indicate that, despite the urban investments and physical improvements carried out in Seine-Saint-Denis, the main beneficiaries tend to be large economic interests and agents linked to real estate valorization and tourism. Processes of displacement, gentrification, and symbolic reconfiguration of the territory were observed, associated with the expansion of urban control and the restriction of popular participation in decisions related to the event. The growth of tourism proved to be a non-neutral process, marked by territorial disputes and pressures on the daily lives of local populations.
Practical implications – The study contributes to the debate on urban planning and mega-event management by highlighting the need for more participatory and inclusive public policies capable of minimizing negative social impacts and promoting more equitable benefits for local communities.
Originality/value – This paper contributes to studies on sport mega-events and urban tourism by analyzing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from the perceptions of residents of a historically marginalized suburban area, emphasizing the tensions between urban development, tourism, and sociospatial justice.
Research limitations – Among the limitations of the study are the restricted access to certain social groups directly affected by urban transformation processes, language barriers during fieldwork in an international context, and the limited duration of stay in French territory, factors that may have constrained the breadth of interpretations and the diversity of perspectives analyzed.
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