Menu
Olympics

China Taking More Modest Approach To 2022 Games

Beijing taking a different approach for '22 than it did for '08 when it spent $42B on projects including the "Bird's Nest."GETTY IMAGES

A decade ago, China "pulled out all the stops in an effort to dazzle the world for the Beijing Summer Olympics," spending an estimated $42B and building showcase projects such as the "Bird's Nest" stadium that "sits mostly empty now," according to Dominique Fong of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. But the government is "taking a different approach" in advance of the 2022 Winter Olympics. The "vision is relatively modest: lift the region's economy in a sustainable way." After Chinese President Xi Jinping toured a Chongli ski resort in Jan. '17, local officials "scaled back development plans" for Olympic venues, cutting the number of planned ski resorts from more than 20 to eight, according to two people briefed on Xi's visit. Two months after his visit, Chongli imposed property controls to "cool" an "Olympics-driven homebuying fever fueled by out-of-towners." Home prices have doubled since Beijing won the bid in '15. China is "still pursuing ambitious development projects," and Beijing is spending money on infrastructure for the Olympics, including a new $9.3B high-speed railway scheduled to open next year that will reduce the trip from Beijing to "just under an hour." Still, instead of "splashing out on lavish new sports arenas," Beijing reportedly plans to adapt 11 of 12 facilities from the Summer Olympics for '22 events taking place in the capital. In Chongli, building heights have been set at maximum of 30m (98 feet) to prevent skyscraper projects, according to Tsinghua University architecture professor Zhang Li. The high-speed train and other Olympic benefits "could help boost the annual economic growth rate of Zhangjiakou," the larger municipality that oversees Chongli, to more than 10% for the next six years, compared with the 7% rate last year, according to government projections (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/22).

TOKYO TECH: REUTERS' Hideki Kato reported Japanese telecom NTT is "hoping to bring an added dimension" to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by projecting live sporting events with its 3D hologram technology. NTT has been working on a new system it calls "Kirari! For Arena," which, unlike its current technology, does not require sensors to be attached to an athlete's body. NTT Service Evolution Laboratories senior research engineer Kota Hidaka said, "From all four directions, you can see players projected in the field moving in 3D." The system uses multiple cameras to track the movements of the player. Images are then transported to devices which "show 3D hologram figures real-time in a different location" (REUTERS, 2/22).

PARIS PLANS: REUTERS' Vey & Rose reported Paris on Thursday admitted construction delays to its €38.5B ($47.5B) metro expansion plan, "despite having promised easy to access public transport" to 100% of venues for the 2024 Olympic Games. The Grand Paris Express development, one of Europe's biggest infrastructure projects, involves building 200km (124 miles) of track and 68 stations. It was "central to Paris' boast" of "easy-to-access, rapid public transport options to 100 percent of Games venues" in its bid for the Olympics. PM Edouard Philippe said that the government would "push ahead with the whole plan," to be completed around '30, but would "prioritize some lines over others." The athletes' village in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, "will be fully connected by the time of the Games, the government expects" (REUTERS, 2/22).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2018/02/23/Olympics/Beijing-2022.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2018/02/23/Olympics/Beijing-2022.aspx

CLOSE