Fourth training venue at Winter Olympic Training Center completed

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The ice hockey training stadium at the Shougang Winter Olympics Training Center is ready to be unveiled in January 2019, according to the construction company. 

The stadium is the fourth and final training facilities to be completed and go through project acceptance at the center. The other three training venues for curling, figure skating, and short-track speed skating have been put into use since June.

The ice hockey stadium was renovated from a control building for loading coal. The new venue's grey color theme stands in contrast with the red of the other three venues.

"The designers we hired worked on the venue in accordance with the high standards set by international ice hockey games," said Cao Lei, chief of the construction project for the Winter Olympics Training Center. He said this stadium, designed by an American firm that worked on some of the best professional sports venues, will become one of the most professional and advanced ice hockey stadiums in China, and host a series of international and national competitions and events.

Inside the venue, the audience seats on the stand are painted either red or grey, and the view of the ice from all of the seats are unobstructed. The number of seats can be adjusted between 2,500 and 4,500 as the mobile seating devices placed under the stand can provide more seats when necessary. The venue can be transformed into a multifunctional area for a wide variety of activities, such as ice hockey and basketball games, live performances, and press events.

During the transformation from an ice rink to a basketball court, the ice will not melt. Instead, a protective ice cover will be laid on the ice rink to reduce energy consumption. The ice cover acts as an insulating layer and a base layer for installing the hardwood floors for the basketball court. The transformation between an ice rink and a basketball court takes between four to five hours.

A giant center-hung screen combined with the installed lighting and sound systems is capable of creating stunning effects during competitions. The 212 sets of lights can perform 13 lighting modes with adjustable color and brightness. It also has a special flashing mode that can go along with music beats. 

While the temperature is low at the ice rink, the audience on the stand will not feel cold. A fresh air outlet is installed under every seat to adjust the temperature. To prevent condensation, the ice hockey venue is also equipped with an intelligent cloud-based system for automatic control of temperature, humidity, dehumidification, and air conditioning. Despite the close distance, the sensible temperature on the stand is different from that at the rink, providing attendees a comfortable watching experience. 

The second and third floors are equipped with shops, restaurants, playground for children, a fitness area, and a sales fair of sportswear and accessories. The ground floor is mainly set for athletes, equipped with facilities like spa rooms, medical rooms, meeting rooms, locker rooms, and press areas. It is the first competition venue in China equipped with therapeutic whirlpools. The underground floor consists of a storage room for refrigeration equipment and a parking lot. 

A glass wall outside the stadium is decorated with falling snowflakes, with other similar designs giving a feeling of walking in the snow. 

To the west, four serviced apartment buildings are still under construction. Two are planned to be residence for athletes, while the other two are for coaches, referees, and their families. Construction is planned to be complete in June 2019, when a total of five buildings will have a capacity of nearly 500 people.

Shougang founded a hotel management company that will collaborate with InterContinental Hotels Corporation to manage post-game operation of the buildings once they are open to the public as hotels. This was planned as early as the design stage of the buildings, which would provide various functions including meetings, food and services, entertainment, fitness activities, etc.


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