SPORTS> China
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SPORTS> China
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Shenzhen begins handover mission for Universiade 2011
By Li Sheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-07 09:44 As well as the marketing and branding initiatives, work on the 63 sports venues earmarked for Universiade events is well underway. The sports center in Shenzhen's University Town has been designated as the lead venue and is scheduled for completion before the end of the year. Considerable progress has also been made in a number of other areas vital to the success of the event. These include the establishment of a sports department under the auspices of the organizing committee, the recruitment and training of volunteers, the national and international promotion of the 2011 Universiade and the development of partnerships with a number of key sponsors. Through the city's established volunteer association and its university networks, the organizing committee has already recruited 403 "backbone" volunteers, many of whom are already undergoing training. An array of backers In terms of sponsors, the organizers have signed up an impressive array of backers - including China Merchants Bank, Kingway Beer, China Southern Power Grid, Coca Cola and China Telecom. Other sponsors lined up are Royal Furniture, the Skyworth Group, Ruifeng Audio and Animate China Technology. The committee has also confirmed a number of official and exclusive suppliers to the event, notably Crystal CG and Chenguan Dairy, as well as the official catering supplier, the Pavilion Hotel. The total accrued support is said to be worth in the region of 675 million yuan. According to Liang, a number of other sponsors are also expected to come on board: "Several other well-known businesses, including Microsoft, BYD, Shenzhen Airline and Logistics South, are also intending to sponsor the event. We have now mapped out our procurement policies and prioritized all of our strategic partners." The organizing committee has also begun the process of selecting the officially endorsed hotels. This will ensure hygiene, healthcare and safety standards are adhered to throughout the course of the Universiade. As well as the infrastructure, marketing and visitor support programs being put into place, the 2011 Universiade will also benefit from a number of "warm-up" sporting initiatives designed to maximize interest in the event proper. According to Huang Guoqiang, deputy director-general of the executive office of the organizing committee of the Universiade Shenzhen 2011, plans are already in place for the 2010 World University Archery Championship, scheduled for Sept 22-25, 2010. This will follow on from the National Road and Track Cycling Championship, held from April 25 to May 16. Huang said: "The organizing committee is also waiting for final confirmation from the FISU on the hosting of an inaugural session of City Events. This will form part of FISU's brand-new non-competition cultural program, as well as the FISU's 2010 Conference." Analysts are already predicting that the benefits of staging the Universiade will leave Shenzhen with a hugely positive legacy. Most obviously, the hefty investment in the city's road networks and traffic infrastructure will transform the urban environment and increase the quality of life for many residents. In total, the budget for Universiade-related infrastructure development will exceed 10 billion yuan, while the budget for the intelligent transport system, information network system and intranet system in the sports venues will exceed 3 billion yuan alone. Capital input in the urban infrastructure is expected to reach 100 billion yuan over the next two years. Commenting on the changes, one local government analyst said: "Shenzhen will become widely-known worldwide for hosting the Universiade 2011. The accrued organizational experience and the city's greatly improved infrastructure will pave the way for Shenzhen to host even more high-profile international sporting events in the future."
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