VENUES

Nagano will greet the world with an assortment of news structures, a combination of high-tech and environmentally friendly buildings.

Opening & Closing Ceremonies

Minami Nagano Sports Park

* Cost to build: $81 million

* Construction time: January 1994-December 1997

* Capacity: 50,000

* Post-Games use: Multipurpose stadium

* Other: The stadium was designed for use as a baseball stadium as well as for the Games. It was created in the image of a sakura cherry blossom, the Japanese national flower. the theme of the Nagano Games is “From around the world--to flower as one.”

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White Ring

Figure Skating/Short Track Speedskating

* Cost to build: $126 million

* Construction time: September 1993-March 1996

* Capacity: 7,351

* Post-Games use: Multipurpose municipal gymnasium

* Other: The dome reaches as high as 39.7 meters. A sub-arena adjacent to the main arena will be used as a practice rink.

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M-Wave

Speedskating

* Cost to build: $287 million

* Construction time: March 1994-November 1996

* Capacity: 10,000

* Post-Games use: Multipurpose arena including an ice skating rink

* Other: Name chosen because roof resembles waves on the ocean. The roof is a suspended construction made from local larch timber.

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Big Hat

Ice Hockey A

* Cost to build: $174 million

* Construction time: March 1993-March 1995

* Capacity: 10,104

* Post-Games use: Multipurpose sports and event arena

* Other: Named because the design of the stadium resembles a large hat.

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Aqua Wing

Ice Hockey B

* Cost to build: $71 million

* Construction time: October 1995-September 1997

* Capacity: 6,078

* Post-Games use: Year-round indoor pools (50 and 25-meter swimming pools, diving pool

* Other: The roof is retractable.

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Kamishiro

Cross-Country Skiing

* Cost to build: $46 million

* Construction time: August 1994-March 1997

* Capacity: 20,000

* Events: The initial plan for four five-kilometer circuits was changed to three five-kilometer circuits after environmental study revealed three nests of goshawks, one of the raptors protected under the Washington Convention.

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Event map

Nagano Prefecture

The area is located at he geographical center of the Japanese archipelago. It is called the “Roof of Japan,” and contains the Japanese Alps, which reach heights of 9.800 feet.

Source: The Organizing Committee for the XVII Olympic Winter Games, Nagano 1998