(BEIJING, November 6) -- A 240,000sq m underground shopping mall at the Olympic central area is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The area, where a number of Olympic venues such as the "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube" are located, is expected to become a center for sports, entertainment and creative cultural industries after the 2008 Olympic Games.

Some 3.6 million sq m of land in the area have been planned for lease through an open bid, with the money supplementing the initial land development and project construction, according to a forum on the "Olympic economy" and the capital city's development prospects that opened on Monday.

Convenient transport facilities in the area are expected to attract businessmen, participants believe. Four trunk roads will pass the area no later than next year and a 9.9km loop line will link the underground parking lots of all buildings, commercial facilities and subway lines to create a shared space underground.

Before the Beijing Olympic open in August, the subway line No.10 and Olympic sub-line are expected to be inaugurated. In addition, the construction of Beijing's sixth ring road is in full swing and it is hoped that the road will be put in use next July, according to Guo Jifu, deputy head of the Beijing Transport Research Center.