As I drove down the main highway from the Beijing airport to my hotel, I was amazed at what Beijing has accomplished in the last three years in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. I have traveled to Beijing at least once a year in the last few years, and witnessed the efforts that are moving this ancient and magnificent city to one that will be under the microscope and on televisions, internet and high-definition screens across the globe as athletes compete for gold.

Competing for gold is similar to what a city does in bidding for the Olympics. The Chinese want to create a positive image that will remain in the minds of people and businesses as the city strives to entice tourists and investment in the future. Beijing's image has been one of massive population, strangling air pollution and aging infrastructure. However, the Beijing Olympics could reverse that. The government has moved swiftly to build a new airport, light rail systems, subways, new highways and to massive office and residential space.

Two years ago, the drive from the airport involved a drive through grey air so dense that the sun seldom pushed through. These days the view along the main road, instead of industrial activity on both sides of the road, is a vista of tall green trees swaying in the wind. When I was there recently, the green leaves complemented a rich blue sky with white wispy clouds. In order to reduce air pollution and to raise the image of the city, the government is planting thousands and thousands of trees. Everywhere one looks around Beijing, workers are constantly planting, trees, shrubs or flowers. The city is "greening" and it is pleasant to look out the window and see the change.

The new airport, an architectural wonder, is showing signs of completion. The city is preparing for major renovation and comfort for the millions of visitors that will arrive in the not too distant future. The Inter-Pacific Bar Association Conference I attended was in a brand new town.A new conference center was surrounded by new hotels, new office buildings and new apartment buildings. Many were still under construction. Underground shopping malls sported such fashionable shops as Gucci, Prada and Hermes. Beijing is reinventing itself as a world class city worthy of investment.

Preparing a city for the Olympics is not a small feat. Image and foundation for future income through tourism and investment becomes paramount among those competing for the opportunity. Creating a visual image is the first step; next come the issues of security and the ability to accommodate and move millions of people efficiently and safely. The magnitude of the infrastructure requirements is often significantly underestimated and the cost overruns left to haunt companies, governments and individuals for years past after the closing ceremonies. Olympic planning requires in-depth planning, risk assessment and monitoring and intensive project management. All stakeholders affected by the Olympics should be involved. The Games can do great things for a city, if done properly. If not the process can leave a legacy of heartache and financial havoc. It is a serious competition that will imprint an image that will be remembered in the minds of hundreds of millions around the world for years to come.