Asian Games 'facelift' benefits Guangzhou
By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-01-12 10:07

GUANGZHOU: Guangzhou plans to launch several massive construction projects this year after winning a bid for the 2010 Asian Games, the Guangzhou municipal government said.

Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning said the city will invest more than 200 billion yuan (US$24 billion) in the next six years in the run-up to the event to improve its sports facilities and urban infrastructure.

The capital city of South China's Guangdong Province was selected on July 1 of last year by the Olympic Council of Asia as the venue of the 2010 Asian Games.

The city is set to invest about 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) in construction of sports facilities and building an Asian Games Village in the coming years, according to Zhang.

Another huge amount of money will be injected into the city's infrastructure construction, including a new railway station, the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport, and some cultural programmes, Zhang said.

About 25.6 billion yuan (US$3.1 billion) will be injected this year into upgrading the city's urban infrastructure, mainly focusing on transportation and environmental projects, according to Zhang.

In addition, the city will start construction of its four metro lines and the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport this year.

"Besides infrastructure construction, the city will also speed up efforts to reconstruct its old urban districts and improve the environment and development of service sectors within the next six years," said Zhang.

The city will also build about 100 star-level hotels, adding to a total of 300 by 2010, to help meet the accommodation needs of foreign visitors.

Zhang stressed that the city finds the layout of sports facilities and urban infrastructure important in balancing the city's "facelift."

Zhang said the city's robust economic development has laid a solid foundation for re-developing infrastructure.

"Local people believe that the Games will also benefit them; therefore the organizing committee of the 2010 Asian Games will encourage people and enterprises to continue showing their support," said Zhang.

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