BRISBANE, Australia - The Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Campbell Newman, said the World Expo that Brisbane held in 1988 "has truly changed the city for ever".

In a recent interview with Xinhua at his office, Newman said that Expo 88 was a defining time in Brisbane's history, as the event put Brisbane on the world stage and they were able to showcase the city in a unique and dynamic setting.

"Brisbane was truly changed forever, losing its 'sleepy little town' image and positioning itself as a cosmopolitan and sophisticated, yet relaxed metropolis," he said.

Newman, who was elected as Lord Mayor of Brisbane in 2004 and reelected four years later, still spoke highly of the Expo about 22 years ago as a pride and honor of the city and its residents.

"We had proven we were able to draw people from all over the world to Brisbane, and have them fall in love with our beautiful city. The huge global influence of the event changed the way lived and worked, allowing us to think outside of what we had done before," Newman said.

As for the legacies of the Expo that left to the city, the mayor believed one of the biggest legacies to come out of the Expo was the landmark South Bank park which was the venue to hold the Expo.

"It is one of the most popular and most visited parks in all of Queensland, with record number of nearly 500,000 visitors per month in the summer months," he said proudly.

Other legacies include abundance of alfresco cafs and restaurants, world-class performing arts venues and acts, international dining scene and striking public artworks.

When asked about the impact of the Expo 88 to the development of the city, which is now the third largest in Australia with a total population of 1.8 million, Newman said it has been a really successful re-development and excellent example of the impact of sensible urban renewal on a city's landscape and cultural and social liveability.

What's more, it continues to attract observers from other past and future Expo cities as they themselves decide how to best utilize the heritage given to them by hosting a World Expo, Newman added.