There was an interesting take on the minds of people like Lord Heseltine, who first mooted the idea of the Dome, and all those politicans who boasted of its 'legacy' - that if these men had been around in the twelfth century, they would have been commsissioning the construction of cathedrals - for that was the way for a massive ego to stamp his mark on his world after he had gone.
Now of course, the world is a more secular place, but the dome-sized egos of politicians live on, and that is why we bid for events that we cannot really afford - because the ego-monsters want their names all over them - even wqhen they quietly walk away from the issues and debt that they leave behind.
We have neither the infrastructure, the wherewithall to get it in place, nor the finance, nor, and this is the most important point - the sporting pedigree to be a credible host nation.
We did have, have, and will always have, more important things on which to spend this huge amount of money.
Unless of course they want to fund it from the defence budget, in which case - feel free.