In the summer of 1991, International Olympic Committee members voted for Atlanta over sentimental favorite Athens for the honor of hosting the centenary Olympic Games. An initial promotional budget of $350,000 donated by local organizations has successfully been transformed into an over $4 billion operation. $209 million alone has been invested in the building of an Olympic stadium. Other showpiece facilities will include the Georgia Dome for gymnastics, and basketball and an aquatic center. Most of these facilities, including the stadium and dome, are located within a three-mile radius of the Olympic ring, a figurative geographic ring around the city. Olympic records for participation will be broken well before the first medal is even won, with 15,000 athletes from almost 200 nations competing in 29 sports.