Building Beijing's slide and joy

After receiving an evaluation report from the IBSF, the construction of the track and other facilities at the center will begin.

The plan is to finish 35 percent of the work by the end of this year, with the entire project to be completed by the end of 2019, in time for test events.

"With the approval of the governing body, we now have stronger confidence in our design and craft to build a world-class track by 2022," said Xu Dian, an official with the 2022 organizing committee's planning, construction and sustainability department.

The sliding center will cover an area of 125,937 square meters with a vertical drop of 127 meters, according to project contractor Shanghai Baoye Group Corp.

It will be 1.9 kilometers long with 16 angled curves and will feature a full circle spanning the mountain's ridges to resemble the shape of a mythical Chinese dragon.

Racers should reach top speeds of around 140 kmph on the downhill sprint section.