2007 is a key year for Olympic preparations, according to Jiang. "We have to finish four major tasks this year," he said, including the completion of stadium constructions, readying the Olympic host cities' transportation systems, preparing the operating system between BOCOG and other municipal organs, and recruiting manpower for the games.

Gymnasiums and stadiums

According to IOC material, the Beijing Olympic Games needs 37 gymnasiums and stadiums as well as 63 training centers to accommodate it. Among the stadiums 31 are located in Beijing and the others are in Qingdao, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong. "Renovation and construction of these gymnasiums and stadiums will have been finished within the year," said Jiang.

Once construction has been completed the stadiums need to be tested. These tests will begin in July this year, ending in May of 2008, and will go under the slogan "good luck Beijing."

What happens to the stadiums after the Olympics? This has been an issue for Olympic Games around the world. "Sports sites might turn into burdens for the future development of the cities without scientific city planning and management," said Jiang. "Beijing is trying to turn these potential burdens into a precious legacy instead, by the reasonable planning and designing of their functions and operating systems."

The layout and planning of the Olympic stadiums have taken both city development and the public needs into consideration. Beijing's Olympic sites are split into four areas. First is the Olympic Sports Center area, which has 10 stadiums including the National Stadium, the National Gymnasium and the National Swimming Center.

Second is the university area, where the stadiums will be built in Peking University, the University of Science and Technology Beijing and the China Agricultural University. After the Olympics these stadiums will benefit nearby residents and students.

Third is the west Beijing region. This area of the city currently lacks sports facilities, but the construction of seven stadiums including the Wukesong Cultural and Sports Center will change that.

The last stadium area is the northern Beijing tourism area.

"Besides holding matches, Olympic gymnasiums and stadiums can be used as public health buildings, as well as for expositions and performances," said Jiang. For example, the National Swimming Center will be changed into a water amusement park after the Olympic Games.

Beijing has been trying out a new operational mode on the Olympic gymnasiums and stadiums to make better use of them after the big event. In the past, major gymnasiums and stadiums used to be invested in by the state and managed by the government's sports administration department. This meant that the government had to allocate finance for their maintenance.

"This time we borrowed experience from our foreign counterparts," said Jiang. "We invited bids for the construction of these gymnasiums and stadiums and the bid winners will enjoy 30 years of operation and management power. In this way, the bidders certainly will give a deeper thought to the future use of the sports facilities."

He also added that when picking suitable bidders, Beijing's Olympic team looked into their future operation and management plans as well as their construction capacity. "Therefore many of the operators of the gymnasiums and stadiums are combined units including not only construction firms and financial groups but also sports managers."