Abstract: The paper tries to explore the impact of the 16th Asian Games on Guangzhou urban development from the local citizens’ perspective. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are employed to examine the relationships between Asian Games and urban development. The empirical outcome shows that the Guangzhou government did well in promoting its economic development, improving the urban infrastructure and beautifying the appearance of the city. However, the Guangzhou government failed to build the city brand image, enhance the citizen's self-cultivation and increase government transparency.

Key words: Asian Games, city development, city dwellers, impact