Here We Go Again: Beijing Bids for 2022 Winter Olympic Games

Steven Schwankert | Nov 5, 2013 9:45 pm | 6 comments | 4046 reads

Zhangjiakou Huanying Ni? (Zhangjiakou Welcomes You?)

Sigh. The 2008 Olympics seem like such a long time ago. If only the magic could return ... in nine years.

On Tuesday the Chinese Olympic Committee officially threw Beijing's hat in the ring, along with nearby city Zhangjiakou, to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. After the highly successful 2008 Games, a bid for the Winter Olympics seemed obvious. Harbin appeared like a more likely potential venue, but only Beijing and Zhangjiakou applied for the honor domestically, and given their proximity, were given the award jointly.

Beijing would host ice events, most of which are indoors, while more moutainous Zhangjiakou would handle snow sports like skiing.

"The 2008 Olympics has left many legacies to Beijing, which includes experience and sufficient infrastructure," Beijing Sports Bureau chief Li Yingchuan told the Xinhua News Agency.

Hebei province's Zhangjiakou is 200 kilometers northwest of the capital. In either the biggest coincidence ever or a foreshadowing of Tuesday's bid, the govenrnment announced it would build an express train line between the two cities.

Despite the strong 2008 Games, Beijing is not a shoe-in as a winter host. Aside from pollution issues, the 2018 Winter Games are due to be hosted by Pyeongchang in South Korea. Although not impossible, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rarely awards consecutive games to host cities on the same continent.

The International Olympic Committee will announce its city shortlist in July, 2014 with the final decision coming a year later, in July, 2015.

One thing's for sure: a lot of real estate will be sold in Zhangjiakou Wednesday, and every TV journalist in town will be riding out there to get footage of this city little-known to the rest of the world.

Image: media-cdn.tripadvisor.com

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TX_Chick's picture TX_Chick Submitted by Guest on Thu, 11/07/2013 - 09:42

And can we just state the obvious reason why this will NOT happen?

Until China gets the pollution under control, there's no way the Olympic Organizing Committee will even consider hosting a winter Olympics here. It's easy to get rid of the pollution in the summer, by shutting off factories, but how are you going to shut down coal burning heating in the winter to stop the pollution? Will everyone have to freeze for the time of the games so there's blue skies? When China can get control of pollution in winter, then they can try again, but for now, they need to focus on the problem at hand.

And I second all the reasons admin listed above.

admin's picture admin Submitted by Guest on Wed, 11/06/2013 - 16:19

Paul Ryding wrote:

Why are people down on this? This will be a good thing, no?

Let me count the reasons I would not welcome this:

a. another reason to hike the cost of living into the stratosphere

b. Beijing doesn't have the weather (precipitation) for it

c. Beijing doesn't have the water resources for it

d. More development of facilities that can then fall into disuse

e. Non stop single-minded hype about the Olympics for another 9 years

 

 

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