‘Looks like Springfield Nuclear Power Plant’– Fans slam Winter Olympics Big Air venue with slope set in industrial site

WINTER OLYMPICS fans have been left dumbfounded by the bizarre venue for the Big Air event at the Beijing Games.

The site, which is located in West Beijing, has been placed right next to an ugly former steel mill in a repurposed industrial park.

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The venue is located inside an industrial park[/caption]

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The ramp is directly alongside a steel mill[/caption]

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It has attracted a great deal of debate on social media[/caption]

Its optics became a major talking point on Monday when it hosted the women’s and men’s freeski Big Air qualifying events with viewers hilariously saying it looks like Springfield Nuclear Power Plant from The Simpsons.

Speaking about the venue, British freestyle skier Kirsty Muir took a more positive view: “The venue is amazing and the bigger jump is so wild, it’s such a cool place to have the jump in.”

And French competitor Antoine Adelisse added: “The first time I was on the top I was a bit disappointed, because when we’re at the top we usually see lots of mountains.

“But when the lights get on it’s really amazing.”

Team China’s Eileen Gu also defended it by saying: “The venue is fantastic. I mean, look around, there’s no snow anywhere else.

“And somehow when you’re skiing on this job, you feel like you’re on a glacier somewhere.”

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The steep structure is playing host to snowboarders and skiers[/caption]

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Athletes began using the Big Air venue earlier this week[/caption]

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Incredible moves are performed on the huge ramp[/caption]

The site was chosen in a bid to represent sustainability as it showcases turning industrial land into that used for leisure.

Meanwhile, the venue has divided opinions among fans watching the Winter Olympics.

One social media user said: “Would you rather they razed some apartments for the two-week artificial big air mountain?”

To which someone replied: “Maybe some of us are nostalgic for when they did this sort of thing on hills and mountains where snow fell on them.”

While another hilariously added: “The big air venue is in the middle of some serious industrial zone.

“Looks like it’s right next to the Springfield Nuclear Plant.”

Big Air, which made its debut at the PyeongChang Games four years ago, sees competitors slide down a huge ramp before performing twists and somersaults in the air.

Snowboarders competed in Big Air at the South Korea Games, but this is the first time skiers have also taken part in the discipline.

The Big Air ramp, which is 64 metres tall and 164 metres long, will remain at the Beijing industrial site after the Games finish.

But first, the Winter Olympic freeski Big Air finals will take place on Wednesday.

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