The indices were unveiled during the 2026 China (Shenyang) Exchange on Integrated Development, where officials and researchers discussed new models for urban growth. The rowing index focuses on boosting the city’s profile as a "rowing capital" by leveraging waterfront assets along the Hunhe River, building on the success of recent Asian U19 and U23 championships. Simultaneously, the hutong index tracks the micro-renewal of historical districts, such as the Fangcheng area, where 67 alleys have already undergone restoration.

Local success stories underscore this dual strategy. In the city’s Laobeishi district, public performances exceeded 6,000 annually, while the popular Bajing coffee alley now attracts over 2 million visitors each year. Guo Linwen, deputy director at the Cultural Industries Institute of Renmin University of China, advised that future growth hinges on strengthening local identity. He proposed using metrics like visitor length of stay and secondary spending to gauge the long-term impact of these urban consumption projects.