Experts at an international forum in Beijing on Monday said the post-Games use of Olympic facilities should be better considered during their design and planning to ensure investments are recouped and transitions smooth.

"With all the attention and pressure on acquiring and organizing a fantastic and massive event, the potential utilization of these buildings after the Olympiad is often ignored," warned Ben Veenbrink, general manager of Amsterdam ArenA Advisory.

But he believed stadiums have the potential to become a revenue source for their owners through offering a wide range of amenities and facilities, making maximum use of their space and staging a variety of non-sport events.

The forum, organized by Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, attracted dozens of experts from the US, UK, Netherlands, Italy, Australia, South Korea and China. The majority were practitioners in international sport stadium design and operation.

The government adjusted the site, scale, standards and design of some of its Olympic venues last year upon requests based on construction safety, quality, function, date and cost.

Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said their construction is in full swing this year as building on the National Indoor Stadium, Olympic Village, Beijing Wukesong Culture and Sports Center, Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium and Beijing Aquatic Park begins.

Veenbrink suggested that Beijing's Olympic stadium should be converted into a top tourist attraction equaling the Forbidden City, Great Wall and Summer Palace, and accordingly generating sufficient income to become self-funding and even make a profit.

He said restaurants, bars, other leisure and entertainment facilities, and interactive, multimedia spectacles re-presenting the legacy of the 2008 Games should be added to it.

Michael Mak Kin-lam, assistant director of the Hong Kong government's Leisure and Cultural Service Department, said the Hong Kong Coliseum, originally designed as a sports arena, had a 96.7 percent usage rate and a 1.623 million attendance in the last financial year.

He attributed this to its convenient location, proactive marketing strategy, reliable and convenient ticketing support, and flexible operation mode. To reduce costs, most supporting services had been outsourced to outside service providers on contracts.

Kang Wei, vice general manager of Beijing State-owned Assets Management Co. Ltd, said the National Swimming Center would be reconstructed into the city's largest water leisure center after the Games.

Liu Zhongyi, general manager of Beijing Wukesong Culture and Sports Center Co. Ltd, said the Wukesong center would host swimming and figure skating competitions, large-scale exhibitions and theatrical festivals.

"We hope it will become the host stadium of a professional basketball team, and are negotiating on sponsorship," said Liu. The operating company also wants to host NBA China games, which were held last year and proved to be very profitable, and expects the total investment to be recovered in 15 to 20 years.

Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium will be used as a training base by the China Badminton Team and International Badminton Federation.

"It will also open to residents of nearby communities since there is no other large stadium around," said the university's vice president.

(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun April 22, 2005)