Hebei busy building a lasting legacy

With Olympic preparations proceeding ahead of schedule, Hebei province is already looking beyond 2022 to ensure a lasting legacy for winter sports.

Co-host city Zhangjiakou will stage 51 events, with 73 of its 76 venue construction projects for the Games underway, including a new high-speed rail link to downtown Beijing.

Meanwhile, testing has begun at existing venues. Last week, Genting Resort Secret Garden switched into competition mode by staging the FIS Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup events.

"All of our competition sites are up to Olympic standard," said Shu Wen, a senior vice-president of Genting resort. "We are also upgrading our infrastructure. For example, we've finished building a hotel that will be used as a media center for the 2022 Winter Games.

"And we will have about 3,000 hotel rooms available over the next few years, which will also meet the demand for the Games." Shu is confident the resort's Olympic courses will impress athletes, spectators and the Games' global TV audience. "It's because we have the most professional teams to build and maintain the slopes here," he added. "For example, we are working with the best halfpipe design and building experts in the world. After years of operation, we have also nurtured many local talents in the sport."

During the 2018-2019 ski season, the city hosted a total of 143 domestic and international events, with more highprofile competitions upping the ante this term.

"So far in the 2019-2020 snow season, we plan to host three World Cups, seven national tournaments and more than a dozen international events," said Su Yue, the deputy director of Zhangjiakou Winter Sports Administrative Center.

"Moreover, we will organize over 100 public events for all winter sports lovers. So this snow season, we plan to host over 150 international and domestic events.