Ethnic Games bring 'ghost town' life and energy

Two days to go before the quadrennial Chinese Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities kicks off in Kangbashi, the staellite town of Ordos has become a much more lively town and the locals want to keep this kind of atmosphere as long as possible.

A futuristic town built with coal money in 2011, Kangbashi has long been the epitome of heedless city construction and the resulting housing bubble.

Four years have passed since it first earned the blighted label and the town remains busy fighting for its image.

Kangbashi residents hope that the National Ethnic Games can do for the town what the 2008 Beijing Olympics did for the country.

Changes are taking place. Various plants formed into letters and patterns to decorate the town and in the first six months of this year, more than 235,800 tourists visited Kangbashi, up 58.7 percent from last year.

With more than 6,000 athletes from across the country gathering here for various events like dragon boat races, wrestling and crossbow shooting, the Ethnic Games will bring a great deal of media coverage.

"I think it is a chance for people outside Kangbashi to see for themselve what my home really is. Most residents here lead a comfortable life," said volunteer Yan Anni who just graduated from high school here.

Wang Mingxi, 70, has lived in Kangbashi all his life and witnessed a desert area just a decade ago turned into a futuristic town built with coal money.

"Kangbashi is not a 'ghost town'. It has become greener and has broad roads and new buildings. I am fine here," said Wang.

Kangbashi currently has a population of 100,000, with a growing number of young people attracted by the low price of housing. An apartment in Kangbashi costs around 4,000 yuan (654 USD) per square meter, compared with 7,000 yuan in Ordos.

A new shopping center will be built in downtown Kangbashi, with a 3D photo exhibition and state-of-the-art theaters to attract the young. Endi