The ground-breaking ceremony takes place for Wanlong International Ski Resort at Baideng Mountain in Datong on June 8.[Photo/Xinhua]

Datong in Shanxi province began constructing Wanlong International Ski Resort, which is expected to become a top national skiing facility, on June 8.

The project, which has attracted investment of some 7 billion yuan ($1.03 billion), will consist of two ski fields in Datong, one for residents and the other for professional competitions.

The ski field for residents, worth 1.7 billion yuan, is 2 kilometers from the downtown of Datong. There will be 16 ski slopes, each extending for more than 12 kilometers. The ski area will cover 35 to 40 hectares.

Currently, the project will focus on winter sports. Indoor skating, grass skiing and mountain biking will be included in the available spring, summer and fall recreation activities as the project is advanced, according to Zhao Yuanwu, general manager of Datong Wanlong Sports and Tourism Co, the investor in the project.

Once completed in December 2017, the ski field for residents will be able to accommodate 8,000 visitors each day. With inexpensive tickets and high quality facilities, the ski field is expected to receive 150,000 visitors during the first year of operation and 300,000 tourists by the third year.