Abstract

In August 2008, Beijing hosted the Summer Games of the XXIX Olympiad. On the fifteenth anniversary of that event, this article takes a multi-dimensional approach to analyzing the impact that the Games had on the neighborhoods surrounding the venues (“micro” effects), the city and country (“macro” effects), and China’s international standing (“global” effects). The study is unique in including several years of direct observations made by one of the authors during the bid announcement period, the preparation period, and both the Games and post-Games periods. The study integrates the observational data with a review of relevant academic literature, an evaluation of Beijing’s sustainability efforts, an assessment of domestic and international economic data, and an examination of the change in China’s national power ranking to provide a holistic view of the Games’ tangible and intangible legacies. The study compares data from a baseline period prior to the International Olympic Committee’s 2001 announcement that Beijing would host the Games with data from the year following the announcement through 2015. The study finds that the Beijing Games accelerated urban renewal and sustainability efforts, strengthened national pride, and enhanced the country’s global economic position and political influence.