The idea of holding the Winter Olympics in Sochi once seemed as much of a long shot as a gold medal for Jamaica's bobsledders, a city that few outside Russia had ever heard of, in a country notorious for inefficient construction, corruption, and a byzantine visa regime.
But when Sochi won the right to host the 2014 Games five years ago, boosted by President Vladimir Putin's vigorous support, a vast transformation began. When London ends its own Olympics tomorrow, attention will turn to a region grappling with challenges as daunting as London's but much different.
Although Sochi has been a popular Black Sea resort since Soviet times, its palm-fringed beaches framed by soaring, snow-capped mountains, it had little of the infrastructure needed for hordes of Olympic fans and squadrons of athletes.
Some 20,000 hotel rooms are being built, supplementing Soviet spa complexes that mimic ancient Roman and Greek buildings, one of the city's most appealing idiosyncrasies.
The mountains had a few modest ski areas but there was nothing that matched an international standard. Every competition venue has had to be built from scratch.
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Transport was a huge concern. Wedged between the mountains and the sea, Sochi in places was basically a single road wide, and only one road connected the seacoast area with the mountains. More than 350 kilometers (220 miles) of new roads and 200 kilometers (125 miles) of railway are being built to keep gridlock at bay.
The cost of all this is staggering. Putin said $30 billion will be spent developing the region, including the cost of the games.
Although many have complained that the central stadium and hotels are behind schedule, International Olympic Committee officials overall have praised Russia's ability to meet the challenges.