Editing 2008 Summer Olympics (section)

===Venues===
{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics venues|Olympic Green|Beijing National Stadium}}

By May 2007 the construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun.<ref name="Under construction">{{cite news |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/01/32/article214073201.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126161002/http://en.beijing2008.cn/01/32/article214073201.shtml |archive-date=26 January 2008 | title=All Beijing-based Olympic venues under construction | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=11 May 2007 | access-date=11 May 2007}}</ref> The Chinese government renovated and constructed six venues outside Beijing, and constructed 59 training facilities. The largest structures built were the [[Beijing National Stadium]], [[Beijing National Indoor Stadium]], [[Beijing National Aquatics Center]], [[Peking University Gymnasium]], [[Olympic Green Convention Center]], [[Olympic Green]], and [[Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center]]. Almost 85% of the construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $2.1&nbsp;billion ([[Renminbi|RMB¥]]17.4&nbsp;billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beijing Olympics funding exceeds $43 bn |publisher=NDTV.com |date=4 August 2008 |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080060086&ch=8/4/2008%209:09:00%20PM |access-date=10 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818060103/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080060086&ch=8%2F4%2F2008%209%3A09%3A00%20PM |archive-date=18 August 2009 }}</ref> Some events were held outside Beijing, namely [[Football at the Summer Olympics|football]] in [[Qinhuangdao]], [[Shanghai]], [[Shenyang]], and [[Tianjin]]; [[Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|sailing]] in [[Qingdao]]; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone", the [[Equestrian at the Summer Olympics|equestrian]] events were held in [[Hong Kong]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue |publisher=Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/equ/index.shtml |access-date=10 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080809223815/http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/equ/index.shtml |archive-date= 9 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some stadiums were built on the former site of [[hutong]] neighbourhoods, including [[Qianmen Subdistrict]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/world/asia/12beijing.html |title=Olympics Imperil Historic Beijing Neighborhood |last=Yardley |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Yardley |date=12 July 2006 |access-date=26 March 2023 |work=[[New York Times]]}}</ref>

The showpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the [[2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening]] and [[2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|closing]] ceremonies, as well as the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|athletics]] competition.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/supporters-protesters-greet-olympic-torch-s-arrival-in-beijing-1.701340 | title=Supporters, protesters greet Olympic torch's arrival in Beijing | work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC News]] | date=6 August 2009 | access-date=20 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231233748/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/supporters-protesters-greet-olympic-torch-s-arrival-in-beijing-1.701340 | archive-date=31 December 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref> Construction of the venue began on 24 December 2003. The [[Guangdong Olympic Stadium]] was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0501/design_1-1.html |title=China's Banner Stadium |author=Libby, Brian |date=1 May 2002 |work=Architecture Week |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423073050/http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0501/design_1-1.html |archive-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2001, the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Several criteria were required of each design, including flexibility for post-Olympics use, a [[retractable roof]], and low maintenance costs.<ref name=Syndrome>{{cite news|first= Arthur|last= Lubow|author-link= Arthur Lubow|title= The China Syndrome|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/magazine/21bejing.html|work= The New York Times|date= 6 May 2006|access-date= 5 June 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121113083951/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/magazine/21bejing.html|archive-date= 13 November 2012|url-status= live}}</ref> The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bjghw.gov.cn/forNationalStadium/indexeng.asp |title=Presentation of Competation |access-date=28 August 2008 |publisher=Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619150023/http://www.bjghw.gov.cn/forNationalStadium/indexeng.asp |archive-date=19 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The bird's nest model submitted by architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in collaboration with Li Xinggang of China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG) was selected as the top design by both a professional panel and by a broader audience during a public exhibition. The selection of the design became official in April 2003.<ref name=Syndrome/> Construction of the stadium was a joint venture among the original designers, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist [[Ai Weiwei]], and a group of CADG architects led by Li Xinggang. Its $423&nbsp;million cost was funded by the state-owned corporate conglomerate [[CITIC]] and the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Company.<ref name=Syndrome/><ref name=AR93>{{cite journal|last= Pasternack|first= Alex|author2= Clifford A. Pearson|date= July 2008|title= National Stadium|journal= [[Archit. Rec.|Architectural Record]]|pages= 92–9|url= http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/0807nationalstadium-1.asp|access-date= 5 June 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110612190219/http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/0807nationalstadium-1.asp|archive-date= 12 June 2011|url-status= live}}</ref>