Qingdao is an athletic and soccer town, and its people have a strong liking for sports. In 2004, Qingdao athletes won a total of 227 gold medals, 182 silver medals, and 147 bronze medals, and broke three national records in sports competitions at all levels.

As the host city for the 29th Olympic sailing regatta in 2008, Qingdao has begun making overall plans for the Olympic sailing facilities based on its gifted landscape of "mountain, sea and city" as well as the harmony between man and nature in order to improve the ecological environment and hold a "Green, - High-tech and the People's Olympics" with unique Qingdao characteristics. By building an international water sports center with first-class sailing facilities in Asia, which is among the leading sailing countries in the world, we will characterize Qingdao as the  "Marine Olympics" city and build Qingdao into a Sailing City.

By June 2004, the plan and architectural design for the Olympic Water Sports Center will be finalized. The relocation of the Beihai Shipyard and construction preparations were finished, and some infrastructure construction work was started. By June 2006, the Olympic Water Sports Center and its related supporting facilities will be fundamentally completed, and the construction of urban infrastructure facilities will commence in an all-round way. By June 2008, all the Olympic-related construction will be completed in accordance with the Olympic sailing requirements. The pre-Olympic sailing games will be held. From July to December 2008, the Olympic sailing regatta and the Para-Olympics will take place here.

Water Sports Center

The 2008 Olympic sailing venue is located in the Fushan Bay near the city's political, cultural and commercial center. The land facilities will cover approximately 45 hectares and will include a national sailing center, an Olympic village, an athlete center, a boating park, a media center, an international passenger liner terminal, an international conference center, a five-star hotel, an international yacht club, a seaside marina, a shopping and amusement center, some parks and public squares. The comprehensive Water Sports Center will accommodate tourist sightseeing, body-building and recreational activities. Upon its completion, a new waterborne sports industry together with the relevant recreation facilities will be typical of Qingdao.