Seoul considers proposal for domed baseball field

Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southeastern Seoul's Songpa District / Korea Times file

By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul City announced Friday that it will positively review a proposal for a domed baseball stadium in Songpa District, southeastern Seoul.

The previous day, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) made a proposal to the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the construction of a new stadium in the current location of Jamsil Baseball Stadium, along with various other facilities for players and spectators.

According to the KBO, if constructed, it will allow games to be played in bad weather conditions such as rain and heavy wind. The organization also said Korea may be able to host various international games there such as the World Baseball Classic (WBC) and the WBSC Premier12.

The city government said it is actively reviewing the project and will confirm detailed plans within the first half of this year. The authorities said the facility would be a major sports and convention industry complex capable of hosting various events, not just baseball games.

The officials added that the local government is reviewing potential effects on traffic and the environment of the stadium through discussions with experts and gathering opinions from nearby residents.

If approved, the construction of the stadium would be included in the city's biggest investment project to bolster sports and the MICE (meetings, incentive tours, conventions and exhibitions) industry.

Through this project, Seoul aims to develop a plot of land some 350,000 square meters around Jamsil Sports Complex into a comprehensive commercial complex encompassing a wide range of sectors, including sports, MICE, culture and shopping.

Last December, the local government picked Hanwha Engineering and Construction as the preferred bidder for the project.

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