A sunny afternoon and an old man slowly maneuvers his horse-drawn cart while a bunch of rural types sit in the back chatting.

It could have been a vignette of a typical countryside scene but instead it was on the National Stadium North Road in Beijing, near the Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube aquatic center.

The venue was heavily policed and highly secured last summer during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Now it is freely accessible to all and sundry and the atmosphere is relaxed as tourists mill about and take photographs in the vast open spaces.

A survey by travel agents and online polls show that the stadium has replaced the Forbidden City as Beijing's top attraction for Chinese tourists.

But unlike the ancient Forbidden City, the stadium managers face the enormous task of recouping the initial investment of billions of yuan and of covering the high maintenance costs.

Every country that has hosted the Olympic Games has faced the same challenge but it is tougher this year for Beijing because of the global financial meltdown.

Currently, 20,000 to 30,000 tickets are being sold every day at 50 yuan ($7) each for entry to the Bird's Nest. Zhang Hengli, vice-president of the National Stadium Company, which runs it, said the income could cover the 150 million yuan ($22 million) in annual maintenance costs and even make a profit.

Given the country has the world's largest population of 1.3 billion, Zhang said he believes it could take 10 years to recoup the initial 3.5 billion yuan investment in the Bird's Nest through ticket sales alone.

However, for some investors, 10 years is too long. They want a faster return on their cash.

Nielsen research company, commissioned by the Bird's Nest management, found that some 70 percent of those surveyed in five Chinese cities agreed that putting a sponsored corporate logo on the stadium would be a good idea.

Lenovo Group Ltd, adidas AG and Coca-Cola Co, which financially backed the Olympics, could all be potential sponsors on what is the most valuable piece of real estate in China and possibly the world.

It had been said that adidas is the frontrunner for the privilege after it reportedly offered 70 million yuan a year for the next 30 years. Neither the stadium management nor the company has confirmed whether any approaches have been made.

However, the idea was shelved because of objections from some quarters on cultural grounds. Starbucks Corporation had to close a small coffee shop in Beijing's Forbidden City after complaints from Chinese bloggers, who thought it was unsuitable to have a foreign company operating inside a national treasure.

Now the stadium managers are trying to make money from renting the venue out for large activities. The first concert held in the Bird's Nest since the games ended more than eight months ago was given by super star Jackie Chan, performing with some of his friends on May 1, International Labor Day, in front of an audience of 50,000.

Chan performed a series of patriotic and inspiring songs including "Descendants of the Dragon".

At the end of June, folk singer Song Zuying, pop star Jay Chou, tenor Placido Domingo and pianist Lang Lang will present the Bird's Nest summer concert "Charm of China". The concert poster has already been set up inside the Bird's Nest, attracting many tourists to take photos in front of it.

The National Stadium Company is also considering making the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games a regular evening show at the Bird's Nest.

Although Zhang said it might take a long time and much investment to realize the idea, he believe he has to "introduce more attractions to ensure stable visitor flows in the long term" to fill the 80,000-seat venue.

The Bird's Nest established a new public-private ownership model for China. A consortium led by the Citic Group owns a 42 percent share of the Bird's Nest and the rights to operate it for 30 years. The remainder is owned by the government.

The Water Cube is owned by the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co, which is wholly backed by government money. Discussions are being held on opening the facility to the public but no final decision has yet been reached.

(China Daily 05/18/2009 page8)