South China's financial city of Shenzhen announced it would
represent China in its bid to host the 26th Summer Universiade in
2011. The announcement was made at a high-profile press briefing on
Tuesday.
"After 25 years of development, Shenzhen has the capability in
terms of wealth and comprehensive strength to host this significant
international event," Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng said.
"We will carefully evaluate the difficulties and develop the
perfect plan to make sure that we win," Xu added.
The city will be among the first to officially submit their
applications to the International University Sports Federation in
October.
The deadline for submission of applications is June 30, 2006.
Candidate cities will make their full statement bids in Torino,
Italy, in January 2007.
Shenzhen has formed a 50-strong executive committee, composed of
high-ranking officials from every major government department, for
the bid process, said Li Changgong, deputy director of the Shenzhen
Education Bureau, and also head of the executive committee.
If Shenzhen's bid is successful, a two-phase preparation process
will kick into gear. In the first phase, about 5 billion yuan
(US$600 million) will be injected into constructing and improving
sports venues, including the main venue for the opening and closing
ceremonies.
The government has allocated a plot of 13.4 square kilometers in
suburban Longgang District for a new sports zone, which will be
used for the Universiade.
In the center of the new zone will be the Olympic Center, which
will include the main venue, a stadium with a 60,000 capacity, a
gymnasium that fits 18,000, a water sports center, a training
center and residential quarters for athletes.
"We hope to work with private investors the construction of
residential quarters for athletes," said Cai Mingyuan, director of
the sports bureau.
Shenzhen is one of the country's more affluent cities. Last
year, its per capita gross domestic product (GDP) exceeded 57,935
yuan (US$7,000). The country's average is 37,906 yuan
(US$4,580).
(China Daily July 13, 2005)