$170 million mock city rises at Marine base
Hotels, markets, tunnels — and actors — are part of urban warfare training

 SAN DIEGO — A mock city roughly the size of downtown San Diego has
risen in a remote Southern California desert to train military forces
to fight in urban environments.

The $170 million urban training center was unveiled Tuesday at the
Twentynine Palms military base, 170 miles northeast of San Diego.

The 1,560-building facility will allow troops to practice and refine
skills that can be used around the world, the Marine Corps said.

The military has been opening a slew of mock Afghan villages at bases
across the country to prepare troops for battle before they are
deployed.

The new training center is one of the largest and most elaborate.

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