TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Municipal officials broke ground on Monday for the Pingtung International Baseball Stadium, which is slated to host both professional baseball games and international competitions when it opens in 2027.
The stadium will have a capacity of 15,000 and will be located near the planned Pingtung Station on the Taiwan High-Speed Rail. The first phase of the project will include ecological detention ponds, a landscaped park, parking lots, peripheral roads, and other facilities. Funding for the stadium is estimated at NT$2.58 billion (US$78.8 million), according to CNA.
Attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony included Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀), Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米), Taiwan Baseball Association Vice Chair Chao Shih-chiang (趙士強), and Taiwan Professional Baseball League Secretary-General Yang Chin-long (楊清瓏), among others.
Cheng said the new stadium would help Taiwan to become a "baseball kingdom," with Pingtung County serving as the cradle of the sport. He expressed hope for sharing memorable baseball moments from the new facility in the future.
Pingtung County Magistrate Chou noted that the current Pingtung County Baseball Stadium, built in 1968, has been in use for 45 years. She emphasized that the outdated equipment and limited capacity of the existing stadium no longer meet the standards for professional baseball games.
Chou attributed the planning of the new stadium to her predecessor, former Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an (潘孟安), who actively sought funding during his tenure. Former Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) ultimately approved the project, ensuring the stadium would meet international standards and be conveniently located near a high-speed rail station.
Chou also thanked the Ministry of Education for its support of the project and highlighted the development of grassroots baseball fields in neighboring towns to nurture local talent.
Looking ahead, Chou said the new stadium would allow Pingtung to host professional baseball games and international sporting events, giving many Taiwanese baseball players the opportunity to return to their hometown and play the sport they love.