Overview
Out of 16 new venues built for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, 15 are in use today for sports, cultural and recreational activities. Some of them have become iconic buildings, such as the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) and the Water Cube. The Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park’s canoe slalom course is no longer used for competition, but the rest of the park welcomes both competitive and recreational water activities.
Another 13 existing venues were upgraded to host the 2008 Olympic competitions. All of them continue to be used and have a functioning business model. Some of them, like the National Olympic Sport Centre Gymnasium and the Ying Tung Natatorium, are facing competition from more modern venues, but are able to subsist thanks to their users’ loyalty.
Four out of the eight temporary venues used during the Games were dismantled as planned. Among those that have not been dismantled is the triathlon course, which is used for national and international competitions; and the hockey field in the Olympic Forest Park, which is open to the public for ball games. The Laoshan BMX venue and the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground have since deteriorated, although the grounds around the beach volleyball site have been used for a variety of cultural activities.