From an article today in The Straights Times:

CHINA would not need ‘one cent’ of foreign financial support to hold the Beijing Olympics, which are expected to turn a profit of about $20 million (S$29 million) to $30 million, according to a senior Games organiser.

Mr Yu Zaiqing, an executive vice president of the Beijing Organising Committee for Olympic Games (BOCOG), said revenues from broadcast rights, sponsors, merchandise and ticket sales would exceed anticipated costs of US$2.4 billion to host the Games.

‘Revenue from these four main areas can guarantee a budget of US$2.4 billion. According to my initial estimates, the (Olympics) will generate about US$20 million to US$30 million in net profit,’ Yu told Friday’s China Business News.

‘I can confidently tell you, we do not need one cent of foreign financial support to hold this Olympics,’ Mr Yu said.

It seems to me like China is making a killing on Olympic sponsorships, because you can’t go anywhere without seeing an “official sponsor of the 2008 games” logo on something, but then there’s the high cost of all the construction in the city. Good to hear an official number from BOCOG.

Via The Straights Times,