There were earlier concerns that the Bird's Nest and Water Cube would become white elephants with the end of the Beijing Olympics. But these could well be unfounded.

Stakeholders have lined up events and attractions to keep the iconic venues alive and well.

In fact, between them, the two landmarks have earned over 360 million yuan since opening to the public October last year.

The post-Olympic use of Beijing's sports venues was a hot debate last year. Construction of the Bird's Nest cost about 3 and a half billion yuan or about 425 million US dollars.

Annual maintenance is over than 170 million yuan. Turning the stadium into a profitable venue for major sports events and performances was always seen as a challenge.

Since opening to the public, the Bird's Nest has earned 260 million yuan, while the Water Cube took in 104 million. The bulk comes from ticket sales, sports events and performances, and licensed products. Tickets account for 70 percent of the revenue.

The Bird's Nest has become the new venue for cultural events. Kung-fu superstar Jackie Chan struck the first hit on May 1st.

Then came the Summer Concert on June 30th. It featured famous names like folk singer Song Zuying, pop King Jay Chou, pianist Lang Lang, and tenor Placido Domingo.

In October, director Zhang Yimou will stage the opera Turandot. Not to be outdone, the water cube is offering its own stage for the ballet classic "Swan Lake".