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BEIJING: It hasn’t snowed in Beijing since November, but that has not stopped the city from having a white winter. Many people have been travelling to the outskirts to play with the snow in the mountains.
But now, the Beijing Summer Olympics Stadium went through a drastic makeover, and has been transformed into a snow park. It is reported that US$7 million was poured into the snow park.
It takes 25 tonnes of snow to fill the stadium, and a ski-slope for winter sports enthusiasts.
The Bird's Nest has been a popular tourist destination since the Summer Olympic Games in 2008. But visitor numbers have plunged along with the winter temperature.
Yang Cheng, deputy general manager, The National Stadium Company said: "We want to provide a place for people to engage in some fun and activities during winter.
"Our snow park is the largest in the world within a stadium. It has an area of 57,000 square metres and snow thickness of 4.7 cm."
Even as the Bird's Nest tries to stay relevant with the makeover, authorities have taken pains to ensure that other Olympic venues do not become white elephants now that the Games are over.
However, the results have been mixed.
The National Aquatic Centre, or the Water Cube, was briefly opened to the public. It has since closed for renovation to add recreational facilities to widen its appeal.
The Olympic Basketball Arena is now a venue for NBA games and concerts. So far, only a handful of events have been held.
Organizers of the snow park hope to woo 7,000 visitors a day, and make the two-month long festival an annual marvel in winter.
The Bird's Nest may have found a way to boost admissions, but it will have to keep up with high expectations to stay on track.
- CNA/sc
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