The main press facility housing media covering the Winter Olympics in Beijing (aka “Main Press Centre") has opened its doors, a month ahead of the Winter Games, which take place Feb. 4-20.
The 419,000+ square foot MMC incorporates both the Main Press Centre (MPC) and the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and is located in the newly built pavilion of the China National Convention Centre on Beijing’s Olympic Green. The venue is in close proximity to the National Stadium, National Aquatics Centre (the “Ice Cube”) and the National Indoor Stadium, three legacy venues from the 2008 Olympic Games that will host the Ceremonies and ice sports competitions during the 2022 Games.
The MMC will serve as the main hub for press conferences, media work areas and the photo service centre, and will serve as the headquarters for the main international news organizations.
The MPC occupies 105,000+ square feet of the MMC, which has more than 220,000 square feet dedicated to broadcast studios and production, according to OBS. A smaller 129,000+ square-foot broadcast centre is strategically located in the mountains. The facility can accommodate around 2,800 accredited press and will be open 24/7 from Jan. 24 to the last day of the Games.
As with all venues, a comprehensive set of COVID-19 countermeasures, outlined in the Beijing 2022 Playbooks, have been implemented to ensure the safety of all those involved in this year’s Games.
