TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said Monday that the proposal to build a mid-sized dome stadium in the city requires careful evaluation of finances, transportation, and overall demand.
Meanwhile, Chinese Professional Baseball League Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) on Feb. 25 called for a third dome stadium to be built in Kaohsiung. Tsai said that with one dome already operating in Taipei and another under construction in Taichung, southern Taiwan should also have its own venue, per CNA.
“The city government must study whether such a facility would operate effectively before making any decision,” the mayor said. Chen added officials must evaluate transportation planning, financial costs, and supporting infrastructure, Commercial Times reported.
Chen also said planners must consider the size of the venue because major international music tours often require arenas that can hold about 50,000 people. “If the dome is too small,” he said, “it may not meet the requirements for large international concerts.”
Chen noted that many Western countries have relatively few dome stadiums used regularly for sports, per UDN. “Kaohsiung’s National Stadium in Zuoying District is already a large outdoor venue that can host concerts and fireworks events,” he added.
Chen said the project could be considered if private investors determine there is sufficient demand and the city government does not need to bear high costs. Any proposal would still require detailed studies and careful preparation before moving forward, he said.
“The issue could ultimately be decided by a future Kaohsiung mayor because the evaluation process would take time,” Chen added.
The DPP’s Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) said he supports studying a mid-sized dome stadium funded through private investment rather than big government spending, per Nownews.
