The plate unveiled

(BEIJING, September 30) -- A ceremony was held Sunday morning to mark the recent completion of the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, the venue for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics in 2008.

The site is now gearing up for two pre-Games events this year -- the Good Luck Beijing 2007 International Badminton Invitational Tournament, Oct. 10-14, 2007, and Rhythmic Gymnastics International Invitational Tournament, Dec. 5-7, 2007.

With a total floor area of 24,383 sq m, the gym has a seating capacity for 7,500 people. The gym comprises two parts: the 25.9-m-tall competition gym and 15.5-m-tall practice gym.

The pedestrian plaza in front of the stadium was built on pervious concrete in a mixed color of ash, green and yellow, offering a pleasant, relaxed setting.

Following the Olympic Games, the gym will become a sports facility fully accessible to students, staff and the neighborhood, and will serve as the training base for the national badminton team.

Handover ceremony

At the ceremony, attendees reviewed photos taken during the construction process -- from the blueprint from scratch, till the completion of the project -- records of every step of the construction.

Zhang Ailin, deputy headmaster of the university, was handed an oversized golden key by Zhang Wenlong on behalf of the project undertaker, symbolizing the official delivery of the venue.

Lu Yong, director of BOCOG Venue Management department, and Wang Shoufa of the university, unveiled a plate, on which the name of the gym was inscribed by former Vice Premier Li Lanqing.

Also at the ceremony, representatives of the construction workers were awarded medals and souvenir stamps for their outstanding contributions to the venue.

Representatives of the volunteers pledged that they would show the athletes and spectators smiling faces.