CHINA: OLYMPIC OFFICIALS SAY BEIJING IS CUTTING COSTS ON VENUES FOR THE 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES

Record ID: 645637

  • Title: CHINA: OLYMPIC OFFICIALS SAY BEIJING IS CUTTING COSTS ON VENUES FOR THE 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES
  • Date: 4th December 2002
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (DECEMBER 4, 2002) (REUTERS) INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) OFFICIALS WALKING INTO PRESSER JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) GILBERT FELLI, SPORTS DIRECTOR OF THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, SAYING: "We can say already that we will have some reductions, like in equestrian. We have already been taking some decisions for Athens and it will be in effect in Beijing. The same goes on for shooting, where we believe we can reduce the scope of the shooting range to reduce the cost of the construction. The fact is that we don't know yet if baseball will be in or out, but we know that if it is in, then there will only be one stadium instead of two that we have planned here." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION MEDIA LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCOIS CARRARD, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, SAYING: "I just want to say six years before the Games, you have the hotels, the facts are here. If you make one comparison with a very successful game, which was Barcelona 1992. Those of us in 1986 in Barcelona - it cannot compare. So there is absolutely fabulous potential and the facts are here." MEDIA LISTENING WIDE OF PRESSER (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEIN VERBRUGGEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE OLYMPIC CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE, SAYING: "We have consultants with us here and they have reported to us that the environmental plans of BOCOG and the city of Beijing are progressing very well in terms of first of all the internal organisation, and the collaboration with external agencies and the programme development."
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAB39YRUT4MR5WEPIBNY7FUTP4W
  • Story Text: Top Olympic officials have said that Beijing is taking steps to cut costs on venues for the 2008 Olympics, even though the events for the Games will not be finalised until 2005.
    Top Olympic officials heaped praise on Beijing's preparations to host the 2008 Olympic Games after the first comprehensive meeting with Chinese organisers.
    They also said that Beijing was taking steps to cut costs on venues for the 2008 Olympics, even though the events of that Games will not be finalised until 2005.
    Plans were in the works to shrink the shooting and equestrian venues and build one baseball stadium rather than the two originally planned.
    "We can say already that we will have some reductions, like in equestrian. We have already been taking some decisions for Athens and it will be in effect in Beijing. The same goes on for shooting, where we believe we can reduce the scope of the shooting range to reduce the cost of the construction. The fact is that we don't know yet if baseball will be in or out, but we know that if it is in, then there will only be one stadium instead of two that we have planned here," Gilbert Felli, Sports Director of the Olympic Committee said.
    The IOC recently postponed a vote on dropping modern pentathlon, softball and baseball from the Olympics following emotional pleas by the leaders of the three sports.
    The final decision will only be taken after the 2004 Athens Olympics.
    The IOC praised Beijing's preparations for venues and infrastructure specially constructed for the Games.
    "I just want to say six years before the Games, you have the hotels, the facts are here. If you make one comparison with a very successful game, which was Barcelona 1992. Those of us in 1986 in Barcelona - it cannot compare. So there is absolutely fabulous potential and the facts are here,"
    Francois Carrard, Director General of the Olympic Committee said.
    One of the main concerns for the Games is to alleviate the harsh pollution which often shrouds Beijing.
    "We have consultants with us here and they have reported to us that the environmental plans of BOCOG and the city of Beijing are progressing very well in terms of first of all the internal organisation, and the collaboration with external agencies and the programme development."
    Beijing has pledged to spend a whopping $37 billion on transportation, environmental and building projects to transform itself for the Games, including $1.4 billion on 19 new Games venues and $1.9 billion to revamp existing facilities.
    Some analysts fear the government spending spree, and property developers jumping on the Olympic bandwagon, could help re-inflate a property bubble the city experienced in the 1990s and strap state banks with hefty loans.
    The dates of the Games also hang in the balance. BOCOG has proposed moving the 2008 Games to later in August -- the IOC set the current dates at the end of July and beginning of August -- due to concerns over steamy temperatures.
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