A sudden lightning strike struck Doosan and LG. The home stadium has been gone for quite some time. We are in a situation where we need to find an alternative. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s response also leaves something to be desired.
On the 18th, the city of Seoul announced a plan to build Jamsil Dome Stadium (tentative name). The current Jamsil Stadium will be demolished and a new dome stadium will be built. Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s plan is to allow people to enjoy baseball in conjunction with hotels.
So far so good. Jamsil Stadium was built over 40 years ago. There are many inconveniences. Although it has gone through remodeling, there are limits. There is nothing bad about building a new, state-of-the-art dome stadium. As we continue to struggle with rain, the use of the dome is also high.
The problem is ‘period’. Jamsil Stadium will be dismantled after the 2025 season. Afterwards, construction will begin sequentially and is planned to be completed by the end of 2031.
In other words, Doosan and LG must find a temporary home stadium to use for six years from 2026 to 2031. An enormous mission was suddenly handed down.
From the beginning, the idea was to remodel and use Jamsil Main Stadium. There was some agreement. It is known that the main stadium is actually being renovated. However, it appears that the city of Seoul has put the brakes on it again. The reason is safety issues.
According to the current structure, the shortest route to the main stadium is through Jamsil Stadium. Naturally, it is also the passage through which many fans currently travel.
However, if construction begins at the site of Jamsil Stadium, the surrounding area will also be closed. The travel route to the main stadium will also be affected.
It may happen that a lot of people gather in one place. After the Itaewon accident, government agencies and local governments are wary of crowds. It should be viewed as an extension.
It’s completely understandable. However, Doosan, LG, and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) are in trouble. LG general manager Cha Myeong-seok said, “It is true that it is difficult to hear that the main stadium is closed due to safety issues. In any case, fans shouldn’t suffer. “An in-depth discussion is needed,” he said.
A Doosan official also said, “We plan to hold a meeting with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, KBO, and LG. It feels like this announcement came out of nowhere. “We need to meet and talk, even if it’s just this week,” he emphasized.
안전놀이터A KBO official said, “Aren’t the fans the top priority? First of all, the announcement was made today, and it is not a situation where a solution can be presented right away. It should be seen that nothing has been decided now. “Discussion is necessary,” he explained.
For now, it’s just a basic story. In the end, Seoul City’s actions cannot help but be regrettable. It was announced that a dome stadium would be built at the site of Jamsil Stadium, but there appears to have been no prior coordination with KBO-LG-Doosan. It seems like it came out ‘out of the blue’ without the people directly involved knowing.
However, there was talk at the same time that Jamsil Main Stadium was in trouble. It can be read as ‘We will build a new stadium, so take care of it until then.’ There is no delicacy in handling the work of a large local government.
The existing dynamic was also structured in that Seoul City reigned supreme over KBO-LG-Doosan. It is an unavoidable part as the current legal structure does not allow private companies to own baseball stadiums, but it is also true that there has been a saying that ‘it is too much to do’. But this happened again.
In the end, the best plan is to use Jamsil Main Stadium for six years. There are other stadiums in Gocheok and Mokdong, but realistically they are not easy to use.
The prevailing opinion is that Mokdong is not suitable for professional teams. There is also opposition from local residents. Competitions are probably being actively held. Even if you use Gocheok, neither team can enter. It is even more strange that the Seoul team uses a stadium other than Seoul. It’s even been 6 years.
If there had been prior consultation and opinions had been gathered, the shock waves may have been less. Without that, the baseball world is hit hard by lightning.
The entire Jamsil Sports Complex does not belong to Seoul City. It belongs to the people and the citizens of Seoul. I am 100% in favor of creating a better environment, but the process should never go this way. Furthermore, alternatives must also be considered.