THE main structure of the Qingdao International Convention and Exhibition Center and Holiday Resort has been completed and a botanical garden at the resort has opened to the public on a trial basis.

The resort, located in Jimo and covering 20 square kilometers, is a key high-end project in the Aoshan Bay convention, exhibition and tourism area, Zhang Yongjian, vice director general of Jimo’s construction bureau, said.

Total investment in the project comes to around 20 billion yuan (US$296m). When completed, the exhibition center will equal the scale of Shenzhen’s Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District.

It will in effect become a small town, with a population of 100,000 and equipped with education, medical and entertainment facilities, Zhang said.

In addition to the exhibition center, the resort will also include yacht clubs, five-star hotels, entertainment venues, commercial areas and residential buildings.

The whole project is expected to be completed by 2014. (Wang Yuanyuan, Qian Zhuo)