Beijing's National Stadium will not be completed until the end of April after preparations for the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies interrupted construction, a top official from the Beijing Olympic Games organizing committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) told China Daily yesterday.

The National Stadium, or "Bird's Nest", is lit in colors at night in Beijing, March 3, 2008. The Stadium will not be completed until the end of April after preparations for the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies interrupted construction.[Xinhua]

The architectural centerpiece of the Beijing Olympic Games, affectionately known as the "Bird's Nest", was scheduled to be finished by the end of March ahead of two "Good Luck Beijing" Olympic test events in April and May.

"The construction of the venue and the background setting up for the ceremonies are going on together now, which has postponed the working progress of the Bird's Nest," said Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice-president of BOCOG and a newly-elected CPPCC member.

"The Bird's Nest will be the last but the best venue at the Beijing Games."

Located at the north end of the city's central axis line, the National Stadium, designed by Herzog & DeMeuron (Swiss) and China Architecture Design Institute, will host the opening and closing ceremonies, all athletic events and the men's soccer final.

Village completed

Another important Olympic venue, the Olympic village, has also been largely completed.

"Up to now, the construction of all buildings in the Olympic villages have been completed and a full loading test is scheduled to be carried out before July 8, when the lockdown begins," said Liu Rong, an official from Beijing Guoao Investment Development Co Ltd, the owner of the venue.

The Olympic Village is located at the northwest corner of the Olympic central area in northern Beijing.

The Olympic village for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games welcomes journalists from China and abroad March 5, 2008.  [China Daily] More Olympic Village Photos

It will accommodate 16,000 athletes and officials during the Olympics and 7,000 athletes and officials during the Paralympics.

The village will open to athletes and officials on July 27, two weeks before the opening of the Beijing Games and, afterwards, serve the Paralympics until September 20.

"In order to make it a home for all the athletes and officials, we will hold various recreational activities and performances in the village," said Yu Debin, the village's deputy director. "When the athletes achieve good results, we will present them cards with congratulations."