Beijing 2008

[Fox334]

If you read some of the past ones, you'll get a feel which ones try to impart a blueprint to future OC's and which ones don't. LA84 is a perfect example of an Official Report that the next Org Committee can just pick up and organize the next Games.

I have a feeling Beijing's was all about the Fatherland and all that bombastic B/S. Probably didn't impart how to stage the next Olympics.

Well, Beijing certainly provide lessons on how NOT to plan legacy...

[Chateau Petrus]

Does anybody know about the official report and/or an official film of Beijing 2008?

Concerning the official film, the World Premiere was during the Montreal Film Festival in last september.

I posted a thread about it before.

The Everlasting Flame : Beijing Olympics 2008

110 minutes

Director : Gu Jun

Trailer available on Youtube :

[micheal_warren]

Thanks for posting the link to the trailer. Will like to watch the whole thing

[baron-pierreIV]

The trailer for the Official Film is very odd. It highlights athletes who seem to have a very deep spiritual conviction...yet this is a godless society. Strange.

And if that's the tact of the Official Film, then why am I not surprised the IOC sent the Official Report back. Probably just as un-original as the so-called "Official Film.'

[gotosy]

The National Aquatic Center, known as the "Water Cube", is due to reopen to the public as a world-class indoor water park this July after a nine-month refurbishment, the venue operator released on Tuesday.

After 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Water Cube has been transformed into a multi-functional recreation centre, as well as providing first class facilities for hosting large-scale sporting events, cultural and leisure activities.

The new cube is featured with a water park with an area of more than 10,000 square meters, which is expected to become the country's most advanced aquatic amusement park, Zhao Zhixiong, general manager of the Beijing National Aquatic Center Co. Ltd introduced.

The water park has wave pools in the drift region in the eastern part and a cyclone simulation section with 11 water slides in the western part. The highest slide reaches 23 meters.

Zhao said that the former swimming pools have had some seating dismantled and replaced with showrooms and fitness facilities.

The ticket remains 30 yuan per person and the water park is expected to receive 5,000 visitors per day upon opening.

http://english.cri.cn/6909/2010/02/03/2001s547630.htm

[4gamesandcounting]

Well it's good it will be used.

[gotosy]

Beijing Olympic baseball ground will relocate to Xiamen

BEIJING, April 1 -- The baseball venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Wukesong Baseball Field in Beijing, is to relocate to Xiamen in support of the State General Administration of Sport, it was confirmed by Lei Jun, chairman of the Chinese Baseball Association (CBA).

The Wukesong Baseball Field is currently the best of its kind in China. As an important part of Beijing's Olympic Games heritage, it is located next to the Wukesong Indoor Stadium at the Wukesong Culture and Sports Center in Beijing. It was one of the nine temporary venues at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The baseball field has a total land surface of 12,000 square meters and a capacity of 15,000. It includes two competition fields and one training field.

"The timetable has not been finalized yet but it will be put into use before a cross-straits forum in 2011," said Lei.

"The relocation means we have a Beijing Olympic heritage," he said.

In addition, the China Xiamen International Baseball Exchange Center will soon start construction in which the Wukesong Baseball Stadium is the core of a new sports and leisure center. It will feature a business convention and exhibition center for education exchange and sports-related leisure travel.

Upon completion, it will be a center for baseball matches and an ideal venue for baseball winter training as well as a showcase of baseball culture.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-04/01/c_13233600.htm

[olympics08]

Hi, I found this video, the song is called "See The Rainbow Again" which was the theme song of the 2001 Chinese National Games in Guangzhou.

http://v.ku6.com/show/x6jRRWX9UWnK3z3o.html

And as much of us can remember, it's sounds like a musical piece in the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony (that one during the fireworks finale), particularly the last part:

[gotosy]

Liu injures Achilles again

When Liu Xiang announced last week that he was skipping the Osaka Grand Prix meet this weekend to focus on a showdown with reigning Olympic champion Dayron Robles of Cuba at the Diamond League Shanghai meet on May 23, there may have been truth behind the rationale.

But it was only a half truth.

According to a Reuters report this morning, Liu told Osaka meet officials that the reason he pulled out of the meet was lingering issues with his surgically repaired Achilles tendon.

"We received confirmation today that he had aggravated an injury last month and needed to focus on his rehabilitation," a Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF) official told Reuters.

Liu, the 2004 Olympic champion and former world-record holder in the 110m hurdles, limped off the track at the Bird's Nest during the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he realized his injured right Achilles would not hold up for the race. Several months later, he underwent surgery in Houston.

After nearly a year of rehabilitation, Liu returned to competition in low-key Chinese meets with modest results. In March, he made his return to the international stage at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha (read more).

There, Liu advanced to the final of the 60m hurdles but appeared to be a shade of his former, healthier self. With his right ankle heavily taped, he finished next to last -- Robles won the event -- in 7.65 seconds (watch video), and afterward said that his legs lacked the strength to be considered a serious medal threat

http://www.universalsports.com/blogs/blog=blockheadblog/postid=471119.html

[gotosy]

Beijing lessons can forge Games "health legacy": WHO

(Reuters) - Public health in Beijing benefited greatly from the Olympics and the city's experience can act as a lesson for the development of a "health legacy" for future major sporting events, the WHO said on Tuesday. China spent an estimated $40 billion on hosting the Olympics in 2008, including many projects which had a direct benefit to public health like attempts to reduce Beijing's notorious air pollution.

A 191-page book "The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: Successes and Recommendations" was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the city of Beijing on Tuesday detailing the impact.

"The Beijing Olympics experience showed that it is possible to advance a public health agenda by capitalizing on the attention generated by the Games among government agencies and the society at large," the WHO's China representative Dr Michael O'Leary said.

"The book's findings stress the need to plan well ahead and to establish clear roles and functions for the various agencies involved in partnerships."

Improving medical services, better water services, attempts to restrict smoking and an increase in health awareness among "athletes, visitors and China's residents" were among the other benefits cited in the book.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64H1MA20100518

[stir.ts]

AP -Beijing starts gating, locking migrant villages

BEIJING – The government calls it "sealed management." China's capital has started gating and locking some of its lower-income neighborhoods overnight, with police or security checking identification papers around the clock, in a throwback to an older style of control.

"Closing up the village benefits everyone," read one banner which was put up when the first, permanent gated village was introduced in April.

But some Chinese question whether problems arising from growing gap between the country's rich and poor can be fixed with locks and surveillance cameras.

[micheal_warren]

Does anyone know when the Official Report will be released? I am wanting to purchase a copy.

[OneTimeOnly]

Beijing Olympic baseball ground will relocate to Xiamen

BEIJING, April 1 -- The baseball venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Wukesong Baseball Field in Beijing, is to relocate to Xiamen in support of the State General Administration of Sport, it was confirmed by Lei Jun, chairman of the Chinese Baseball Association (CBA).

The Wukesong Baseball Field is currently the best of its kind in China. As an important part of Beijing's Olympic Games heritage, it is located next to the Wukesong Indoor Stadium at the Wukesong Culture and Sports Center in Beijing. It was one of the nine temporary venues at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The baseball field has a total land surface of 12,000 square meters and a capacity of 15,000. It includes two competition fields and one training field.

"The timetable has not been finalized yet but it will be put into use before a cross-straits forum in 2011," said Lei.

"The relocation means we have a Beijing Olympic heritage," he said.

In addition, the China Xiamen International Baseball Exchange Center will soon start construction in which the Wukesong Baseball Stadium is the core of a new sports and leisure center. It will feature a business convention and exhibition center for education exchange and sports-related leisure travel.

Upon completion, it will be a center for baseball matches and an ideal venue for baseball winter training as well as a showcase of baseball culture.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-04/01/c_13233600.htm

How the hell do you relocate a baseball field?

The National Aquatic Center, known as the "Water Cube", is due to reopen to the public as a world-class indoor water park this July after a nine-month refurbishment, the venue operator released on Tuesday.

After 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Water Cube has been transformed into a multi-functional recreation centre, as well as providing first class facilities for hosting large-scale sporting events, cultural and leisure activities.

The new cube is featured with a water park with an area of more than 10,000 square meters, which is expected to become the country's most advanced aquatic amusement park, Zhao Zhixiong, general manager of the Beijing National Aquatic Center Co. Ltd introduced.

The water park has wave pools in the drift region in the eastern part and a cyclone simulation section with 11 water slides in the western part. The highest slide reaches 23 meters.

Zhao said that the former swimming pools have had some seating dismantled and replaced with showrooms and fitness facilities.

The ticket remains 30 yuan per person and the water park is expected to receive 5,000 visitors per day upon opening.

http://english.cri.cn/6909/2010/02/03/2001s547630.htm

That makes me sad, but, I guess it wasn't going to see much competition use. It was one of the best Aquatics Centers in the world.

[gotosy]

Beijing issues final reports on 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games

14:27, August 09, 2010

Beijing issued final reports on the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported on Aug. 9.

As an important part of the program of Olympic knowledge transfer, the reports will provide key data and reference for the cities which will bide for and host the Olympic and Paralympic games in the future and Olympic researchers.

The final report of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games describes the basic approaches and main experiences of Beijing's preparation work and reviews the impressive moments of the games. It is not only the record of the 10-year history, from organization to host, but also a perfect interpretation for the philosophy of "transcendence, integration and sharing."

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90779/90867/7098293.html

[baron-pierreIV]

How the hell do you relocate a baseball field?

With great difficulty and/or imagination.

Beijing Olympics made a profit of over one billion yuan

+ - 16:55, June 22, 2009

The Beijing Olympics turns out to be a profitable one, which generates profits exceeding one billion yuan, an audit report by National Audit Office (NAO) announced.

According to the report of the Games' finances and construction costs of Olympic venues released by NAO on June 20, 2009, revenue of the Beijing Olympics totaled 20.5 billion yuan, an increase of 800 million yuan compared to the budget. Expenditure totaled 19.343 billion yuan, a slight increase compared to the budget. The financial balance will exceed one billion yuan and revenue greatly exceeds the budget. The Paralympics broke even with revenue and expenditure both totaling 863 million yuan.

　

NAO found during the auditing that some projects were over-budgeted and some equipment for the information system was underutilized. The Bird's Nest exceeded its budget by 456 million yuan due to its complex structure, high technical difficulty, high technical demand, and change in function, standard and increas in the cost of main construction materials.

　

BOCOG made, revised and improved ten internal management rules and adjusted project plans according to auditing advice. BOCOG strengthened management, cut expenditure and improved efficiency of funds utilized, therefore saving over 100 million yuan. According to final accounts audit (draft), the actual surplus greatly exceeds the budget.

Up to March 15, original book value of assets of BOCOG was 909 million yuan. 56% of them were already sold with an income of 146 million Yuan. BOCOG planned to deal with the rest of the assets by public auction, donation to welfare establishments and government departments and donation of some significant properties to cultural heritage and archive bureaus and museums.

　　

Follow-up audit found bids of some projects were against regulation. The audit found that bids of 28 items of 14 projects were against regulation. The bids were not conducted in accord with standards required by authorities. There were flaws in the process which influenced the bid results.

　　

In order to attract public funds to the construction of Olympic projects and solve the problem of operation of venues after the Olympics, the local government of Beijing adopted the method of legal bidding. The bid winner would form the project company and be responsible for funding, designing, construction and operation of the venue after the Olympics. Investors of some projects couldn’t provide enough funds, withdrew from the project in the process or divide the project and construct it separately. It was also difficult for the government to keep promises of some favorable land and tax policies. For example, one of national stadium’s stockholders Golden State has never provided enough funds for its project since it began and still owes 47 million yuan now.

Revenue components

Part of IOC's income from market development and sale of broadcasting rights is required to be given to the host city. Such revenue takes up 40% of all of BOCOG’s revenue.

Revenue from market development is 9.87 billion yuan, including funds from sponsors and income from sale of the right for special permit operations.

Tickets, accommodation, interests and assets disposal bring in revenue of 1.96 billion yuan. The revenue from tickets is 1.28 billion yuan and from assets disposal is 240 million yuan.

Expenditure components

Expenditure on the opening and closing ceremonies of Beijing Olympics and Paralympics totals 831 million yuan.

Expenditure on torch relay of Beijing Olympics is 312 million yuan and on torch relay of Beijing Paralympics is 20 million yuan.

Expenditure on volunteers is 171 million yuan.

Ya think?

New Beijing records:

Longest OC to turn in their Official Report; yet have the BIGGEST B.S. figures!!

By those magic numbers, Ceremonies comes to $US58,000,000...which is one-third of what Zhang Yimou admitted to.

Like no one else can make foreign currency calculations??

Am surprised they didn't round out the surplus to 888 million yuan. Or would that have been too obvious??

[Rafa]

Any Games can make a profit....

[baron-pierreIV]

Any Games can make a profit....

Depending on which set of accountants you use.

Certainly Montreal's and Lake Placid's auditors had NO FEAR of having to go to labor camp...unlike Beijing's.

[LuigiVercotti]

Profit in the Olympic context is about as solid a concept as Lindsay Lohan's sobriety....

[Sir Rols]

Dismantling a colossus: Beijing workers begin removing 45 ton Olympic torch from Bird's Nest stadium

More than two years after the Beijing Olympic Games ended, workers today began removing torch on top of the Bird’s Nest stadium.

The 45-ton structure, which remained lit during the 18-day competition in 2008, will take at least a month to haul down to the ground.

Then it will be moved to an exhibition near the complex and put on display so that visitors can see it close up.

The 105ft long and 40ft wide torch will require 800 cranes to move it.

It includes five parts: the main body, ignition system, hydraulic system, automatic control and external decoration.

The process will begin by taking apart the external decoration, the official from the Bird's Nest said.

This involves the removal of nearly 1,300 pieces of red stainless steel outer covering, which is the most difficult part.

Because each piece has a different size and shape, it needs to be assigned a serial number beforehand so that it can be restored to its original position during reassembly.

The torch was designed as a temporary structure.

After disassembly, the torch will not be ready to display immediately.

All parts, including the opening ceremony's hydraulic system and the ignition system, will be delivered to a factory for renovation.

After the Olympic torch is moved out of the Bird's Nest, the torch's steel support structure of the site will be converted into a viewing platform giving visitors a panoramic view of the Bird's Nest and most of the Olympic Park landscape avenue.

Daily Mail

[baron-pierreIV]

/\ Nice fotos. Thanks, Rol.

Boy, that thing is huge...a little larger even than the Space Shuttle.

It really looks more like an ice cream cone than a scroll.

[Jim856796]

I looked at Google Earth and in the 2001 imagery, loads of hutongs and small apartment buildings (mostly hutongs) in Beijing were destroyed to make way for all the infrastructure for the 2008 Summer Olympics (roads, highways, parks, several venues and the Olympic Village, and the airport terminal).

[jiejie]

I looked at Google Earth and in the 2001 imagery, loads of hutongs and small apartment buildings (mostly hutongs) in Beijing were destroyed to make way for all the infrastructure for the 2008 Summer Olympics (roads, highways, parks, several venues and the Olympic Village, and the airport terminal).

You are making a very common mistake in attributing a lot of the infrastructure to the 2008 Olympics. You are wrong and let's correct it before you spread more misinformation. Most of the infrastructure improvements (and that includes airport, road/highway work, and subway additions) were in the works LONG BEFORE the Olympics were awarded to Beijing. The awarding of the Olympics just speeded up the timetable and compressed some of the 15-year and 20-year plans down into half that time frame or less.

As for the hutongs being destroyed due to the Olympic infrastructure, that is a crock and you clearly do not know what you are talking about. 1) Most of the new facilities and infrastructure that had to be built specifically for the Olympics were not in hutong areas. There were some outskirt villages esp in the Olympic Green area that had to go, but these places were absolutely squalid and falling apart (think dissolving mudbrick with tin roofs--sort of Beijing version favelas but with less crime), weren't historic, and within a few years were going to have to be addressed anyway. 2) Most of the hutongs that have been demolished have been for commercial and residential building development not infrastructure. This is not related to the Olympics coming to town, but has to do land rights/usage in China. The true hutongs of historic value that have been affected (and shouldn't have been touched), went due to corruption and collusion at high levels between govt officials and real estate tycoons. If there were never any Beijing Olympics, the end result would likely have still been exactly the same.

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Being a regular Beijing visitor over 2 decades I concur with JieJie. Much of the hutong that has been removed was in awful condition. Alot has been removed from around the centre of the city - but there is no shortage of it still in other areas. To be honest I am a bit ambivalent about losing it. Walk through some of the narrower areas of Beijing - it is an absolute firetrap. History is one thing, danger to human life is another.

Also JieJie is correct about the speeding up of planned projects. The new airport was first planned back in the 1980's. The subway expansion was planned back in the 1970's but not implemented until 1995 onwards. The main sporting area - the Green was mostly disused industrial land and very limited hutongs. The other venues have been built on parkland, on unused land and at Uni campuses.

In this case the future benefits of what has been built in Beijing has improved life for millions in the city. Sometimes - just sometimes - that is more important.

It's not like the Chinese ripped up the Great Wall. There are hutong all over China still.

[Jim856796]

If they're not hutongs, what were those houses that were demolished in the Olympic Green, then? Slums?

[jiejie]

If they're not hutongs, what were those houses that were demolished in the Olympic Green, then? Slums?

They were part of a "cun" = village. That area was (and still is) known as "yayuncun" which = yayun village. This was a rural village area surrounded by fields up until mid/late 1990's-ish. The city grew outward towards many of these kinds of villages, and swallowed them. They are almost all fairly tumbledown, unsanitary, and not historic. Most of these village structures were only a few decades old at most. I first lived in Beijing in 1987, and in those days there were no ring roads, and beyond what is now the 3rd ring road, there were mostly just agricultural fields and simple villages. Including what was removed for the Olympic Green preparation.

At the risk of sounding pedantic, A "hutong" is literally (translated) a street, but in north China also refers to a particular urban neighborhood construct--not a rural village. The vast majority of Beijing's hutong (most of which are Ming and a few Qing era) are inside the 2nd ring road which roughly marks the boundary where the old city walls used to be. Most of the true Beijing hutong have historical value either great or small. But they weren't in the line of fire for any infrastructure or facilities developed for the Olympics. Point #1 is, you can't go around labelling every old group of shacks in China as hutongs. Point #2 is, Or blame the Olympics as the reason for all events in Beijing 2001-2008.