"I think this will be a new defining moment for, say, the American public who don't travel here often or never have -- it will be a window into Russia that will define Americans' perspectives for years to come," he says.

"I think that perspective has been acknowledged by the organizing committee, and they're taking it very seriously, not only in the choice of venues but also in what they're tackling right now -- it's probably one of the most massive construction projects in history."