European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 16, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Fair nearly ready to be discovered by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau workers Are frantically racing to Complete one of the world s biggest construction projects and put finishing touches on what promises to be the grandest Universal exposition of All time. As the clock rapidly ticks toward monday s opening of expo 92 in Seville Spain work is proceeding at a furious Pace. Last week the sounds of jackhammers daily shattered the Dawn and continued on after 10 . In Southern Spain these Days Road maps make Little sense. New roads have slashed through the Region so quickly that mapmakers have had no Chance to catch up. Road signs Are even less helpful for they Point toward highways that should be there but Arent and to old routes that have been replaced by new ones. As much As $12 billion is estimated to have been poured into Southern Spain to develop the transportation and communications infrastructure. All of this has been done to bolster expo 92 and it is hoped to Spur future development of once poverty stricken Andalusia. Expo 92 runs until oct. 12, Columbus Day the 500th anniversary of the explorer s first Landing in the americas. Seville during Spain s Colden age grew Rich on Trade with the new world. The exposition site is on a Long swampy Island the Isla de la cart Uja in the Guadalquivir River. Expo s Island takes it name from the 15th-Century carthusian monastery where Columbus planned his second voyage and where he was later buried for a time. On the Island vast domes and spheres towers of Glass and cathedrals of Wood have risen to entice the world to visit expo. To break even expo must attract at least 18 million visitors during its six month run. That s 7 million More than the just opened euro Disney outside Paris expects in its entire first year. While some May doubt expo s pulling Power Fred Bush he s no relation to the president the . Commissioner general for expo has no doubts. Quot for 13 years in a Row More people have come to Spain than to any other country a Bush said in a recent interview in Seville. Quot the previous Universal exposition held in Osaka Japan a not easy place to get to then had 60 million visits. Expo is anticipating 40 million visits by 18 million to 20 million people. I think they la continued on Pago a it it april 16, 1992 stripes Magazine