Beijings Birds Nest to anchor shopping complex

[Redline]

BEIJING (AP)The area around Beijings massive Birds Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.

Officially known as Beijing National Stadium, the showpiece of the Beijing Olympics has fallen into disuse since the end of the games. Paint is already peeling in some areas, and the only visitors these days are tourists who pay about $7 to walk on the stadium floor and browse a pricey souvenir shop.

Plans call for the $450 million stadium to anchor a complex of shops and entertainment outlets in three to five years, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing operator Citic Group. The company will continue to develop tourism as a major draw for the Birds Nest, while seeking sports and entertainment events.

The only confirmed event at the 91,000-seat stadium this year is Puccinis opera Turandot, set for Aug. 8the one-year anniversary of the Olympics opening ceremony. The stadium has no permanent tenant after Beijings top soccer club, Guoan, backed out of a deal to play there.

Details about the development plans were not available. A person who answered the phone at Citic Group on Friday said offices were closed for the Chinese New Year holiday.

A symbol of Chinas rising power and confidence, the stadium, whose nickname described its lattice of exterior steel beams, may never recoup its hefty construction cost, particularly amid a global economic slump. Maintenance of the structure alone costs about $8.8 million annually, making it difficult to turn a profit, Xinhua said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-birdsnestfuture&prov=ap&type=lgns

It looked like a great stadium...pity it's going to become rundown.

 

[northernspirit]

its become a white elephant just like olympic park in sydney

 

[dibo]

olympic park has tenants - souths and the bulldogs, plus part-timers the swans, regular events in the NRL finals and state of origin.

 

[Redline]

Plus our National Team games.

Where do China play their national team home games? Maybe they should use the Birdsnest?

 

[greenlion]

Plus our National Team games.

Where do China play their national team home games? Maybe they should use the Birdsnest?

Team China Usually play matches in cities like Shenyang, Tianjin, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Liuzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing & Guangzhou, only big matchs like WC Qualifiers and Asian Cup Final holds in Beijing,

Beijing Guo'an plays home match at the 64,000 seats Workers stadium, which was the final venue for 2004 Asian Cup & women soccer of 2008 Beijing Olympics, due to the Olympics Beijing had to play at the  star city of Fengtai in 2006, 2007 & 2008, now they'll be back to Workers' stadium, which is the Home of the team and glory of the Beijing fans - had won the league titles 7 times and FA cup champions 4 times there