The city will invest 6 billion yuan (US$726 million) on creating the "KIEV Theme Park", expected to serve as China's largest defense education and oceanic sciences education base, according to an official in charge.

Land-based construction would cover an area of 160,000 square meters, including business facilities, parking lots, theme sculpture and a street featuring architecture styles from around the world, said the official.

The KIEV carrier, 274 meters long, 52 meters wide and 51 meters high, is scheduled to debut in the park in September 2003.

The retired ship, the first of the former USSR's KIEV-type carriers, was bought by the Tianma Ship Dismantling Company of Tianjin in 2000.

(People’s Daily February 28, 2003)