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Over decades, mega‐events have enjoyed increasing global popularity as catalysts of significant urban renewal both on and beyond the event grounds. Nevertheless, although some mega‐events are exemplary in their transformation of some places, post‐event failure of others highlight a lack of long‐range planning. Yet, such a paradoxical relationship between spectacularity and sustainability has, so far, received little in‐depth analysis. Building upon the Yin‐Yang theory, the purpose of this paper is to identify the Triple‐C gap and argues that planning for mega‐event led renewals (MELRs) is an issue of dualism rather than dichotomy.

This paper adopts the multiple‐case study approach. Two methodological steps are taken to seek a greater understanding of the issue at global and local scales. One is a review of eight mega‐event cases in the West to identify post‐event sustainability challenges. The other explores these challenges through an examination of the Expo 2010 development as a chapter of the Huangpu Riverfronts Renewal in Shanghai China.

The eight historical cases and Expo 2010 unanimously challenge the dichotomy between event staging and post‐event sustainability. It is therefore high time for future client organizations to rethink how to find a convergence.

With lessons drawn, the article concludes that planning an MELR should be pre‐post oriented and serve as a catalyst for broader‐scale improvements.

This pioneering study constitutes a much‐needed reference for future mega‐event hosts to rethink their commitment to MELDs, which will hopefully spark more interdisciplinary interest.

With the dramatic transformation of China’s industrial landscape, since the late 1990s, adaptive reuse of industrial heritage for cultural purposes has become a widely occurring phenomenon in major Chinese cities. The existing literature mainly focusses on specific cases, yet sees heritage conservation similarly at both national and regional scale and rarely identifies the main factors behind the production of China’s industrial-heritage reuse. The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in heritage reuse outcomes among three Chinese mega-cities and explore the driving factors influencing the differences.

This paper compares selected industrial-heritage cultural precincts in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, and explores the local intervening factors influencing differences in their reuse patterns, including the history of industrial development, the availability of the nineteenth and/or twentieth century industrial buildings, the existence of cultural capital and the prevalence of supportive regional government policy.

The industrial-heritage reuse in the three cities is highly regional. In Beijing, the adaptation of industrial heritage has resulted from the activities of large-scale artist communities and the local government’s promotion of the city’s cultural influence; while in Shanghai, successful and more commercially oriented “sea culture” artists, private developers in creative industries and the “creative industry cluster” policy make important contributions. Chongqing in contrast, is still at the early stage of heritage conservation, as demonstrated by its adaptive reuse outcomes. Considering its less-developed local cultural economy, Chongqing needs to adopt a broader range of development strategies.

The paper contributes to knowledge by revealing that the production of industrial-heritage cultural precincts in Chinese mega-cities is influenced by regional level factors, including the types of industrial heritage, the spontaneous participation of artist communities and the encouragement of cultural policy.

A mega‐event flagship (MEF) refers to a purpose‐built building flagship for a global mega‐event and a popular instrument to catalyze urban renewal in the host city. Despite their lasting popularity and volatile outcomes, such highly controversial developments have received little analysis. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the research.

To bridge the Triple‐C Gap identified, a case study method was adopted in the form of participant observation, due to the author's special role as a key project coordinator of Expo 2010. To provide a good reference for comparable developments, it takes three steps to study the Expo Center (EC) – one of the four MEFs of Expo 2010. First, planning rationales are explained to form a holistic understanding of the Big 4 as an integrated whole. Then, a pilot questionnaire survey is reported to identify pressing issues on a broader scale. Finally, the early stages of the EC are investigated in six dimensions.

The study concludes with significant lessons in shaping the early stage of a MEF, as well as correcting a misunderstanding of such a development being an end in itself.

Certain constraints in participant observation have been minimized since the author maintained a relatively independent role as a process facilitator, which is different from the traditional role of a design manager or a project manager.

A timely reminder to rethink the commitment to MEFs, this explorative study offers new insights into MEF research and will be of cross‐boundary value to a wide spectrum of people and agencies.