Beijing is estimated to have spent no more than 13 billion yuan (about US$1.88 billion) on venue construction for the Olympic Games, said an official on Saturday.

The unaudited number includes money spent on the construction of new venues and refurnishing cost of existing venues, but the detailed figure would be available only after a final accounting, said Liu Zhi, the city government spokesman, at a press conference.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2008)