[Photo via Beijing Chaoyang]

The Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of the Beijing Olympic Central Area (2025–2027) (hereinafter referred to as the Action Plan) was released on December 4. The area is set to transform into a "global reception hall of the dual-Olympic city", becoming a new landmark integrating culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions by 2030.

Leveraging its abundant venue resources, the area plans to host over 60 top-tier concerts in 2026, along with events such as the Run & Eat International Carbohydrate Festival at the Beijing Olympic Park and a music weekend at the Olympic Forest Park. These activities will offer robot interactions, nighttime light shows, and many more, helping to create a dynamic atmosphere that appeals to visitors day and night, throughout the year. Collaborative initiatives will include the Bird's Nest Happy Ice and Snow Season, the Water Cube Winter Carnival, and ice rinks along the Dragon-shaped Water System in the Olympic Park.

[Photo via Beijing Chaoyang]

Building on Beijing's dual-Olympic legacy, the area aims to establish itself as the primary host for international competitions, forming a multi-faceted sports industry cluster focused on international sporting events and enriched by emerging sports activities. Over the next two years, it will stage global events such as the Beijing Marathon, the China Open tennis tournament, the World Humanoid Robot Games, the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2026, and the 2027 World Athletics Championships, while elevating the Bird's Nest into the ultimate hall of honor for e-sports.

The Action Plan also outlines steps to gradually update commercial activities on a smaller scale, integrating aesthetically pleasing and elegantly crafted retail spaces into venues, squares, parks, and other public areas. It further seeks to enhance the cultural appeal and spatial quality of the area by developing seasonal landscape corridors. Additionally, several landmark projects will be implemented to improve rapid-transit corridors and pedestrian accessibility, optimize internal connectivity, and customize parking enhancements for each site.

Public areas and venue facilities will undergo quality upgrades. This involves renovating public space infrastructure, tourism facilities, and the underground circular tunnel. Efforts will be made to accelerate the renovation of the water park at the National Aquatics Center, together with smart upgrades of the venue, enhance supporting facilities at the National Tennis Center, and advance infrastructure improvements at the Olympic Forest Park and Olympic Tower. Upon completion of the tower renovation, visitors will be able to enjoy panoramic views of the Olympic Park from the 246.8-meter-high observation deck and dine at the aerial gourmet garden.

The Dragon-shaped Water System will also see comprehensive upgrades. The water purification system, fountain, and other facilities will be restored and improved. In the meantime, the surrounding nighttime lighting and greenery will be enhanced to create a pedestrian-friendly environment along the water.

(Source: Beijing Daily)