A Disney-like animation empire is to be created on the ground of a State-owned machinery company and the local government is soliciting an urban planner to draw up the blueprint, said Shijingshan district governor.

Zhou Maofei said on Saturday that an animation and game park is to be built on the site of Beijing No 2 General Machinery Co, which went bankrupt in 1992 and was incorporated into the steel giant Shougang Group. Shougang is moving its steel production to Hebei province, so the land is now available.

Zhou said the park aimed to become a focus for animation and game companies. At present, Chinese game companies including Nasdaq-listed Changyou.com and Perfect World Co Ltd are already located in Shijingshan district.

More than 2,500 companies, employing more than 20,000 people, are located in Shijingshan district, which was previously known for its steel production. Sales in 2009 exceeded 12 billion yuan, according to district government statistics.

"Our advantage is we are like a piece of blank paper and investors can draw the most beautiful painting on it," Zhou told a creative industry forum on Saturday.

The plan comes as many districts in Beijing look to reinvent themselves.

Tongzhou district, which aims to become a satellite town for residents in Beijing, invited international designers to participate in the redevelopment in April.

The expansion of the Central Business District also attracted several international design firms last year.

Zhou said the animation park is only part of the development plan for the old factory site of Shougang Group, one of the largest steelmakers in China. He said the total investment for the 8.56 sq km will amount to 200 billion yuan.

The development plan includes land lots on the main factory site, No 2 General Machinery Co, and a start-up zone. The main factory site will be used for exhibition, movie production and performances, as well as finance and corporate headquarters.

The 1.25 sq km start-up zone will become a center for steel companies, including a planned 280-m-high international steel center. The zone, whose plan was to be designed by international firms, will be unveiled soon, Zhou said.

METRO