“Putin’s goal, according to Peskov, is to demonstrate Russia’s competence and class to the world by transforming a modest Soviet city into a grand, year-round resort. Sochi stretches along the coast, with one main road — Resort Prospect — so clogged with traffic that it can take an hour or more to drive a few miles. Before the Olympics bid, it had few Western-style hotels and no stadiums or ice rinks to rate an athlete’s glance. Thirty miles away, the Caucasus Mountains stood magnificent and undeveloped.”
Source: Russia expects Olympics to retool its image – The Washington Post