Photo: Workers clean the audience section

(BEIJING, December 4) -- The Capital Indoor Stadium (CIS) is showing a fresh face as one of the 11 newly renovated venues for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

On April 16, 2008, it will host a trial run -- the Good Luck Beijing 2008 China Club Volleyball Tournament. If all goes well, from August 23 to 24, 2008, the stadium will stage the volleyball competitions for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Built in 1968, the 18,000 seat stadium has been a comprehensive sport facility for table tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball and gymnastics competitions, in addition to skating and ice hockey sports. In 2001, it was renovated to become a venue for the World University Games, while the latest expansion to an area of 54,707 sq m follows international standards, giving it many more functions to meet Olympic requirements.