Scene of the ceremony.

(Beijing, December 22, 2005) -- The groundbreaking ceremony for the Olympic baseball competition venue in 2008 was held at Beijing’s Wukesong Culture and Sports Center this morning.

Located at the southwest corner of the center, the project includes two competition fields and a training field, with a total land surface of 12000 square meters and a seating capacity of 15000.

Today’s groundbreaking ceremony was held also for the project of Wukesong Culture, Sports and Public Service Facility comprising an indoor natatorium, cinema, bank, post office and shopping center. With a land surface of 287000 square meters, it is an important auxiliary project able to meet the needs of the Olympic venues and residents in the area.

The two projects initiated today and the Wukesong Indoor Stadium which broke ground in March this year are major elements of the Wukesong Culture and Sports Center. As the largest Olympic venue in western Beijing, the center will host the basketball and baseball events during the 2008 Games.

After 2008, it will become a cultural, sports, recreational and shopping center of west Beijing.

Currently, work on the main concrete structure of Wukesong Indoor Stadium has been finished.