Experts at an international forum in Beijing on Monday said the
post-Games use of Olympic facilities should be better considered
during their design and planning to ensure investments are recouped
and transitions smooth.
"With all the attention and pressure on acquiring and organizing
a fantastic and massive event, the potential utilization of these
buildings after the Olympiad is often ignored," warned Ben
Veenbrink, general manager of Amsterdam ArenA Advisory.
But he believed stadiums have the potential to become a revenue
source for their owners through offering a wide range of amenities
and facilities, making maximum use of their space and staging a
variety of non-sport events.
The forum, organized by Beijing Municipal Commission of
Development and Reform, attracted dozens of experts from the US,
UK, Netherlands, Italy, Australia, South Korea and China. The
majority were practitioners in international sport stadium design
and operation.
The government adjusted the site, scale, standards and design of
some of its Olympic venues last year upon requests based on
construction safety, quality, function, date and cost.
Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee
for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG),
said their construction is in full swing this year as building on
the National Indoor Stadium, Olympic Village, Beijing Wukesong
Culture and Sports Center, Beijing University of Technology
Gymnasium and Beijing Aquatic Park begins.
Veenbrink suggested that Beijing's Olympic stadium should be
converted into a top tourist attraction equaling the Forbidden
City, Great Wall and Summer Palace, and accordingly generating
sufficient income to become self-funding and even make a
profit.
He said restaurants, bars, other leisure and entertainment
facilities, and interactive, multimedia spectacles re-presenting
the legacy of the 2008 Games should be added to it.
Michael Mak Kin-lam, assistant director of the Hong Kong
government's Leisure and Cultural Service Department, said the Hong
Kong Coliseum, originally designed as a sports arena, had a 96.7
percent usage rate and a 1.623 million attendance in the last
financial year.
He attributed this to its convenient location, proactive
marketing strategy, reliable and convenient ticketing support, and
flexible operation mode. To reduce costs, most supporting services
had been outsourced to outside service providers on contracts.
Kang Wei, vice general manager of Beijing State-owned Assets
Management Co. Ltd, said the National Swimming Center would be
reconstructed into the city's largest water leisure center after
the Games.
Liu Zhongyi, general manager of Beijing Wukesong Culture and
Sports Center Co. Ltd, said the Wukesong center would host swimming
and figure skating competitions, large-scale exhibitions and
theatrical festivals.
"We hope it will become the host stadium of a professional
basketball team, and are negotiating on sponsorship," said Liu. The
operating company also wants to host NBA China games, which were
held last year and proved to be very profitable, and expects the
total investment to be recovered in 15 to 20 years.
Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium will be used as a
training base by the China Badminton Team and International
Badminton Federation.
"It will also open to residents of nearby communities since
there is no other large stadium around," said the university's vice
president.
(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun April 22, 2005)