Liverpool to stage soccer & Beatles

Liverpool's Urban Best Practices Area was formally transferred to the city Tuesday.

Zhou Hanmin (left), deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee, hands a ceremonial key to Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley marking the transfer of the city's Urban Best Practices Area. [en.expo2010]

Liverpool's UBPA pavilion is in section B1 and covers an area of 461 square meters, neighboring UBPA pavilions such as Venice, Suzhou, Cairo and Hangzhou.

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Urban Best Practices Area is a creation of Expo 2010 to showcase the world's outstanding urban development.

Zhou Hanmin, deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee, said he believed Liverpool, Shanghai's sister city, will add glamour to Expo 2010 with its UBPA.

Liverpool's exhibition - "Business Capital on the Sea - Protection and Reuse of the Liverpool Port Heritage" - will use films and interactive exhibition items to showcase its experience and achievements in heritage preservation.

The exhibition will feature a waiting area, a 3-D theater, a main exhibition area and a VIP area.

Visitors could wait in lines while listening to tunes by Beatles or watch soccer games.

Visitors could also enjoy Liverpool's unique culture, business achievements and environment through a 10-minute film.

Two interactive "media walls" in the main exhibition area will play continuous videos covering study, travel, business and investment in Liverpool.

There will be many more interactive installations in the sports area, music area and Northwest England exhibition, said Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley.

Visitor can take penalty kicks in front of Merseyside goal keeper and negotiate with Liverpool or Everton soccer club through simulation technology.

In the music area visitors can also play a game called "Beatles: Rock Band" on PlayStation.

Visitors even can have a virtual tour around Northwest of England. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will stage a performance on October 16, the Liverpool UBPA Pavilion's Special Day, Bradley added.