Please note, this is an archived story. Please check the date above.

Sportcity includes the City of Manchester stadium and the neighbouring English Institute of Sport.

Opening and closing ceremonies will be held in the stadium along with athletics and rugby during the Games and the facility will eventually be taken over by Manchester City FC.

Construction is well under way at the stadium and progress is continuing on the English Institute of Sport which includes the National Squash Centre, an outdoor athletics track and 500-seat stand, plus an indoor athletics hall.

There will also be a sports science and medicine unit and an indoor tennis facility.

Together with the existing Velodrome - training ground of the Olympic medallists in the national cycling squad - the facilities will establish Manchester as one of the UK's major sport hubs.

Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council which is part funding the facilities, was satisfied by progress so far.

He said: "The eight towers are now clearly visible and the skyline of Manchester is altering day-by-day. Sportcity will be an amazing asset and will instil pride and a spirit of success throughout the city.

"We are on track and confident we will deliver a superb building for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and for Manchester City Football Club.

"We have robust and effective arrangements in place to ensure the people of Manchester receive an excellent return on their investment in these facilities."