The foundation stone was laid yesterday for a new Shanghai Tourist Center which will be completed in time for Shanghai Expo 2010, a local newspaper reported today.
The new center is located south of Shanghai Stadium and is convenient to Metro Line 3's Caoxi Road Station overhead and Line 1 underneath. The Caoxi Road public transport hub is west of the new center, according to the Youth Daily report.
Yesterday's start signaled the beginning of construction of a public square and underground parking space.
The center's waiting room will have double the capacity of that in Shanghai Stadium with better facilities and lighting, and more convenient access to metros and highways.
The project is part of the city's 11th five-year plan for tourism development.