Lighting the way

The center's development as part of a regional plan to turn Yanqing into an all-year tourist destination, will leverage the Olympic venue and its proximity to the Great Wall to create more jobs and benefits for the local communities.

From 2015 to 2019, preparations for the Games drove a 35.2 percent growth in per capita disposable income in Yanqing, according to the district government.

"As such, the 2022 Winter Games is not only about a global sports gala but also about inspiring more and more people to take up sports in order to lead a healthy life," said Ren Hai, a sports sociology professor at Beijing Sport University.