LONDON — Britain's government says the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympic Games gave the country an almost 10 billion pound ($15 billion) boost.
Authorities said Friday that UK economy has seen an increase in business from contracts, sales and foreign investment stemming from a conference and a series of events tied to the games.
The figures — the first released in a four-year plan — are important because staging the games is expensive. Organizers repeatedly promised Britons that the 9.3 billion pounds ($14.7 billion) spent to host the event would be money well spent.
The latest numbers, however, don't include the effect of tourism. The Olympics offers a unique platform to show off a country's finer points. Tourism officials say images of castles, cliffs and countryside will bring dividends for decades.
