The Chinese are building a $39 billion dollar city for the Beijing Olympics

The Chinese government is making a massive public investment not only in these upcoming games but also in their infrastructure of Beijing post Olympics. Once the venues are completed, plans have been made in regards to redistribution of these facilities for the public good.

The Water Cube, where all the aquatics events will take place, will become a public pool facility after the Olympics. The 2,000 apartments that comprise the Olympic village will be sold for public housing. They have built a reusable port for the regatta, an airport for transportation needs, and numerous stadiums to make this Olympics both a public relations and a social needs success.

I can't think of a better way to create new economies where none existed by using global tourist money to help pay for it. This is pure 'Adam Smith' capitalism which is ironic for a place who has Chairman Mao as a figurehead.

From the article:

"... In official estimates, in the 2002-2007 period investment in the Olympic preparations should reach about $18 billion. But the closer the Games, the more doubts there are about China's ability to keep within the announced budget. Quoting Beijing authorities, some foreign sources report that China will have to spend $8 billion on the construction of new underground lines and other transportation facilities, and an additional $5 billion on the building of satellite cities. The figure of $39 billion looks more authentic, but it absorbs only indirect spending on Olympic preparations. It does not cover the construction of sports facilities and development of a security system. Nor does it include the $8.5 billion that the port of Qingdao (Tsingtao - Western postal name) was going to spend on the preparations for the Olympic regatta in the Yellow Sea. ..." [Link]