Furthermore, the Suzhou Industrial Park overseas Investment Co was granted a deal by the Laos government to build a sports stadium for the Southeast Asian Games that the country will host in 2009. This project is facilitated by a loan given by the China Development Bank. The Laos government also announced in September 2007 that the same Chinese firm is teaming up with another two Chinese companies to embark on the"New City Development Project", an ambitious plan endorsed by Vientiane to transform 4,000 acres of rice fields located in the Luang Namtha province into"a modern city" with Manhattan-like skyline