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A holidaymaker enjoys skiing at the Wanlong Ski Resort in Chongli county, Zhangjiakou city, North China's Hebei province. [Photo/IC] |
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The International Olympic Committee will vote Friday on the host city for the 2022 Winter Games, choosing between Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Beijing, which hosted the 2008 Olympics, is seeking to become the first city to stage both summer and winter games.
Here's a quick look at the Beijing bid:
Population: 21 million.
Previous Olympics: 2008 Summer Games.
Previous winter bids: None.
Bid leader: Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun.
Number of venues: 6 existing and 3 planned.
Olympic Villages: 3.
Organizing committee budget: $1.558 billion.
Infrastructure budget: $1.511 billion (not including high-speed rail line between Beijing and mountain venues).
Public Support: 88 percent in Beijing; 92 percent in China (IOC poll results).
Proposed dates: Feb 4-20.
Slogan: "Joyful Rendezvous upon Pure Ice and Snow."
Pros: Experience of hosting 2008 Olympics; use of 2008 venues, including "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube;" China's political and economic stability; familiarity with IOC members; seen as safe choice that can be counted on to deliver; potential of developing winter sports market to hundreds of millions of Chinese; strong campaign machine.
Cons: Lack of winter sports tradition, atmosphere and natural snow; heavy reliance on water supplies for artificial snow-making; long distances between Beijing and mountain venues; sense among some IOC members of "been-there-done-that" in Beijing; air pollution; human rights issues.
IOC evaluation report: "Beijing 2022 has offered a regional concept intended to develop a winter sports market for more than 300 million people in northern China."
Status: The city to beat.
