Beijing 2022 venue construction proceeds smoothly

BEIJING — The planning for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games venues is on schedule, according to the Beijing Winter Olympics organizing committee.

While this is good news, spending has not yet been confirmed and some venues' designs are still under discussion with the international federations and broadcast companies.

Liu Yumin, an official from the planning and construction department of the organizing committee told Xinhua on Monday that venue operation facilities like lodging houses in the Olympic village and the parking lots to the west of National Speed Skating Oval, are very important during the design and construction.

"These facilities won't serve the Olympics directly and the related spending is excluded from the total investment, " said Liu. " The infrastructure, like high-speed railways, airports, highways and some public facilities are the projects funded by government or companies for the city's development."

Beijing 2022 will use 26 competition and non-competition venues in three zones. Venue construction for Beijing 2022 has sped up on all fronts.

Beijing will host 13 venues, including eight from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, four newly-built, and one temporary venue.

Sitting in the Olympic Forest Park next to the Beijing 2008 tennis facility, the National Speed Skating Oval, dubbed the "Ice Ribbon", began construction last April and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. The oval will cover 80,000 square meters and hold a capacity of 12,000 people. The oval will stage speed skating races at Beijing 2022.

"We're trying to control the investment according to the bidding budget we promised, " said Wu Xiaonan, the board director of Beijing National Speed Skating Company, "the oval will become a sports center with facilities for competitions, fitness, leisure, exhibitions and public welfare."