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How sites can remain viable

Updated: 2009-02-23 08:00
By Bao Wanxian (China Daily)

Last year, the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube were undoubtedly the top locations in China, attracting visitors from every corner of the globe.

Since then, officials at these and five other Olympic venues in Beijing have been working hard to ensure they remain popular attractions.

"After serving athletes from every corner of the world during the Beijing Olympic Games, these world-class sports venues should play a new role to make more local residents benefit from them," said an official from the Beijing Olympics Economy Research Association.

"But one thing we must continue to maintain is the world-class quality of service offered at these venues," he added.

Guo Hong, director of the National Stadium, recently announced the plan for the future of it and the other venues - the Water Cube, the National Indoor Stadium, Wukesong Sports Center Baseball Field and Fengtai District Softball Center.

The venues will become the city's major sports venues, providing training and competition facilities to professional sports teams, as well as providing sports facilities to local residents.

Statistics from China's General Administration of Sport showed that since 2004, Beijing had constructed 12 sports venues for the Beijing Olympic Games, covering over 717,000 sq m.

"If all these facilities can be opened to the public, it will enhance the development of sports-related city," said Wei Jizhong, executive member of the Beijing Games' organizing committee.

Indeed, from 2009, the Beijing Olympic venues will play a greater role in driving the development of the country's sports-related industries, said Guo.

Apart from attracting more sports lovers and generating profit by selling entry tickets, the operators plan to attract businesses to the vicinity of each venue, said Guo.

The venues' maintenance and operating costs should be kept to a minimum by using environmentally friendly technology in the facilities, he added.

"Diversifying the functions of these facilities and seeking their sustainable development are the main challenges facing the venues' operators at the moment," an unnamed sports industry expert told China Sport Daily.

Beijing's Olympic swimming venue, the National Aquatic Center or Water Cube, will mix white-collar workers with thrill-seekers as part of plans to erect an office building next to a water-themed fun park.

The distinctive bubble-wrapped building has been left largely intact since hosting the swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events at August's Beijing Games, but developers are due to start major renovations.

Developers will build Beijing's largest water amusement park on the south side of the $143 million venue, complete with an artificial beach and a wave machine. A members-only swimming club would round out the north and west sides, said Wang Chun, a senior official in the Olympic Green Management Committee.

In contrast to other Olympic venues, the Water Cube has been a relative hive of commercial activity.

Agencies contributed to the article

(China Daily 02/23/2009 page5)

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