Xinjiang keen to showcase high ambitions

A frugal fiscal approach and a trimmed operational budget resulted in a saving of 340 million yuan ($52 million) from the initial cost projections, said Li Guangming, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee, who didn't reveal the initial cost estimate.

Measures to cut expenditure included staging curling events at an ancillary rink at the figure skating venue rather than building a new center, and moving the opening ceremony from a giant outdoor stadium, which requires costly refurbishment, to a smaller speed skating oval.

"Under plans drafted for post-event operations, the new ice sports center will be transformed into a fixed training base for national and regional teams and an extracurricular winter sports center for local students," Li said.

All the proposed venues and teams of staff members have participated in warmup events, including the national curling championships and a national alpine skiing tournament last year. A multi-ethnic team of 1,400 volunteers has been trained to work at the games.

Urumqi has also announced a series of measures to involve local residents in the games, such as the local government and ski resorts donating 50,000 free tickets to communities and providing free parking lots at major venues, such as the Silk Road Ski Resort.

Awarding Xinjiang the rights to host the quadrennial sporting gala echoed the country's ambition to encourage 300 million people in North China to participate in winter sports and recreations while preparing for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, said Liu Peng, China's sports minister.

"Encouraging more people to participate in winter sports outside the traditional northeastern provinces will highlight Beijing's successful bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Bringing this national event to the northwestern part of the country is a sound move toward implementing the plan," Liu said.

In July, Beijing and co-host Zhangjiakou, a city in Hebei province, were awarded the rights to host the 2022 Winter Games. The announcement echoed a growing nationwide passion for skating and skiing.