This morning BOCOG announced the specifics of the third phase of their Olympics ticketing program. For those who won tickets during the first ticketing phase, you will be able to pick up your tickets in June or early July. Olympics tickets are being printed now!

BOCOG Press Conference Excerpts:

Starting from 9am, May 5 to June 9, 2008, BOCOG will launch the Phase Three Domestic Olympic Ticket Sales Program.

During this period, the public can buy tickets of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at designated Bank of China (BOC) ticket outlets or by logging on to the official ticketing website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The number of the ticket outlets during this stage will be fewer than that offered during the previous two phases.

For further details, please log on to the official ticketing website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games or call the Olympic ticketing call centre at 952008.

Similar to the first two phases, only applications from individual buyers will be accepted during the third phase of the Program Group applications will therefore be considered ineligible. Applicants will use their valid ID cards for registration purposes (further details are available at the official ticketing website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games).

The purchase limit is two sessions per application and three tickets per session.

According to BOCOG, a total of 1.38 million Olympic tickets will be released during the 3rd phase.

The Chinese government earlier this week outlined its remaining plans to clear the air for the summer Games.  The International Herald Tribune reports on the details.

The measures announced Monday include a two-month halt in construction, beginning July 20, and government directives that will force coal-burning power plants to reduce their emissions by 30 percent throughout most of the summer. Officials said that 19 heavy-polluting enterprises, including steel mills, coke plants and refineries, would be either temporarily mothballed or forced to reduce production. Gas stations that do not meet environmental standards will closed, as will all cement production, and the use toxic solvents outdoors will be forbidden.
Read the whole article.

The article goes on to quote Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing’s Environmental Protection Bureau urging reporters to “just tell everybody they don’t have to worry.”

While it has not received extensive media coverage, the below announcement via Xinhua is an important one. Please keep checking AmCham Daily for other relevant Olympics transportation and logistical updates.

Beijing subways will try to run round-the-clock on the opening and closing days of the Olympic Games.

The move was aimed at relieving heavy traffic on the two days, Aug. 8 and Aug. 24, while the operating hours would be extended on other days of the Games, Tuesday’s Beijing Daily quoted an official with the Beijing metro operation company as saying, without giving further details.

The subway is expected to carry the bulk of passengers to the National Stadium, also known as the “bird’s nest”, on the opening day when about 100,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony, he said.

The No. 10 route linking the stadium with the downtown area was expected to have intervals between trains shortened from four minutes to three minutes during the ceremonies, said the official.

Subway stations would have “green channels” for ticket holders, Games staff and volunteers, who will be exempted from paying the 2-yuan fare during the Olympics.

According to an article just released by AmCham-China’s news service SinoFile, the first phase of the “wireless city” plan for Beijing will be finished at the end of this month. This project, based on Wi-Fi and WiMAX technology, is for the Olympic Games. Beijing-based CECT-ChinaComm is building the network.  Here’s the original story in Chinese.

The new Beijing airport terminal is set to open this week, and it should be very interesting to see what the reviews look like. It is well ahead of schedule and is the latest in a string of pre-Olympics openings that has included the Water Cube, Line 5 subway and the new National Theater.

Here’s what the AP had to say about the terminal:

The huge, airy interior will have 64 Western and Chinese restaurants, 84 retail shops, and a state-of-the-art-baggage handling system. A high-speed commuter train will whisk passengers into the city, while the runway is capable of handling Airbus‘ huge A380 superjumbo…

China’s capital desperately needed a new terminal even without the Olympics, with double-digit economic growth rapidly outpacing infrastructure expansion plans. [Dong Zhiyi, deputy general manager of the Capital Airport Holding Co] said he expects the whole airport to receive 64 million visitors this year. That is up from 50 million last year and 20 million in 2000.

They have 64 restaurants?! Hopefully that doesn’t mean they are preparing for long departure delays…

BOCOG has announced that the winners of Opening and Closing Ceremony tickets in BOCOG’s Phase 1 Olympic Ticket Lottery are now required to submit a photo ID and completed form BEFORE JANUARY 31.

Specific repercussions for failure to submit in time have not specifically been laid out, but as a precaution it would be advisable to comply before the January 31 deadline.

Full details about this policy change can be found here.

Chairman James Zimmerman has been nominated by Lenovo Group to carry the 2008 Olympic Torch as part of the celebrations leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. “His unique China experience, his social influence and the contributions he has made to the community where he has lived and worked over the past nine years,” is what convinced the Lenovo Group that Chairman Zimmerman is the right man for the job.  Once the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) gives its final approval, he’ll carry the flame during the Olympic Torch Relay next July in Datong, Shanxi Province.

Lenovo Group is a worldwide partner of the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay event. With the slogan of “Light the Passion, Share the Dream,” the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will be the largest event of its kind in the history of the Olympics Games. The torch, designed by Lenovo Group, will reach 21 international cities and will traverse five continents.

Following the international segments, the Olympic flame will enter Mainland China on May 4, 2008. The Olympic flame will literally touch every corner of China including all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. During the Olympic Flame’s journey through China, it will scale the highest mountain in the world - Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest).

Chairman Zimmerman was thrilled to be chosen by Lenovo Group. “This is quite an honor not only for me, but also for all the American companies and individuals doing business in China. It has been a pleasure over the years to be both a witness and participant in Beijing’s rise as a world class city. I look forward to carrying the torch to share the joy and vision of the Olympics with my Chinese friends.”