Beijing To Host Olympics

The Summer Olympic Games of 2008, or more commonly referred to as the XXIX Olympiad, took place in Beijing from August 8th to August 24th. But Beijing should be recognized for achieving this great and honorable opportunity of becoming one of the hosting cities that will now go down in history forever as the host of these 2008 games. Admittedly, Beijing did win the opportunity of hosting city throughout a long awaited, and very exhaustive ballot, set up by the International Olympic Committee, or IOC. It had been decided since July of 2001 that Beijing had won the honor of being host.

However, there was more to this year's Olympiad than just a ballot. The government of China invested a vast amount of money just in this game alone, even by constructing entirely new facilities as well as new transportation systems. In 2004, the construction of the Beijing National Stadium began, in order to be finished by the year 2008.

While this is the third time for an Olympic game to be hosted on an Asian continent, as well as the fifth time outside of Europe and North America, is can be debatably the most entertaining, and best thought out hosting city in Asia to date. Their mascots alone were obviously severely thought out. The five Fuwa were not only made to represent the Olympic rings, and the Olympic games as a whole, but are also extremely symbolic to their home land of China as well, tying the Olympics and China together fully down to the hidden message "Welcome to Beijing" found in the mascots. The entire world came together as a whole to meet in Beijing, China for the 2008 Olympic games, and what better describes that than Beijing's motto itself, "One World, One Dream."

Twelve new venues were constructed and built to host the Olympian events, amongst the total of thirty-seven entire venues that were used. While China was protested in regards to carrying the Olympic flame, they have more than proved their worth. The other hosting cities that were being considered for the year of 2008 included: Paris, Toronto, Istanbul, and Osaka. It was Li Lanqing who said "The winning of the 2008 Olympic bid is an example of the international recognition of China's social stability, economic progress and the healthy life of the Chinese people," and no one else could have explained this better. China used their economy and social stability to make the Olympiad what it truly should be: extravagant and exceptional.

China went above and beyond to make these games the most memorable, by going above and beyond. In early 2007, the construction of more than thirty venues specifically for the Beijing Olympics has already begun; a wide range of money had been spent, invested in renovating and reconstructing at least six venues not even a part of Beijing, and a total of fifty-nine centers of training. The Beijing National Aquatics Centre, the Beijing National Stadium, the Beijing National Indoor Stadium, along with many others can be considered the most important new architectural pieces, and will be seeing more fame for years to come.

By spending increasingly over two billion dollars on the 2008 Olympic games, China has most definitely made it two weeks to remember. It was this year's sensation and will not be forgotten easily. In conclusion, while many had protested China even having the Olympic flame, and still others were confused at how they obtained this large opportunity, it has now become apparent that Beijing was the best hosting city to have won the hosting ballot of this year. Had it not been China's year to hold the Olympics, it might not have been as memorable.