Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province and home to 9.4 million people, has opened an esports town within city limits. The 3.94-million-square-foot area should become the center of competitive gaming in the region.
Opening to the public on the 16th of November, the project is among the biggest esports initiatives in China. The government of Hangzhou will operate the esports town and oversee its development.
With a planned budget of $2.22 billion, 14 more esports facilities are expected to be completed in the town by 2022. These will include an esports college, esports-themed hotels, R&D centers, a rehabilitation center, and an esports business center.
By 2022, the government estimates to attract 2 million tourists, 1,000 esports companies and institutions, 10,000 esports pros, and organize about 1,000 esports competitions. An estimated $140 million in tax revenues is also expected.
Chinese esports organization LGD Gaming and California-based esports entertainment company Allied Esports are involved with the new esports town. A partnership signed between the two earlier this year has resulted in LGD and Allied opening one of the first venues in the new esports town.
The Hangzhou Esports Center, the first professional esports venue in China, recently opened its doors for competitions. It is a starship-shaped venue presenting long reverberation times addressed by a sound reinforcement system by Zhejiang Dafeng Industry Co. and AV distributor and provider EZPro utilizing a range of products from Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW).
The venue’s new PA system consists of 36 EAW KF810P line array systems, 12 EAW SB818P|F single 18-inch subwoofers, six EAW SB180zP compact subwoofers as well as EAW loudspeaker for fill applications. The system was designed with the aid of EASE4.4 and EAW Resolution sound field simulation software.
The Hangzhou Esports Center will also host the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou Esports Competitions set to take place in September of 2023.
