SHANGHAI - In addition to millions of visitors and billions of yuan in revenue earned from Expo 2010 Shanghai, organizers are hoping the Expo site will serve as a driving force behind Shanghai's determination to become a global city.

"Paris and New York are vibrant and global cities not only because of their tourist attractions, but also for the facilities they provide," said Ning Feng, general manager of Shanghai World Expo Group Co Ltd. "Such facilities can accommodate significant events like global summits or other international events."

There are currently very few conference centers in Shanghai capable of catering to more than 2,500 guests and hardly any decent exhibition centers, he said.