Shinsegae Group, the Korean retail giant and owner of the SSG Landers baseball team, is to build a new 20,000-capacity multi-purpose dome in Incheon.
The group will collaborate with local authorities to construct the new venue in the Cheongna district of the city.
According to local media reports, a company statement said the dome would host SSG Landers’ Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games and events such as pop concerts, e-sports competitions, exhibitions and trade fairs.
The dome will be built as part of the vast Starfield Cheongna integrated shopping mall project, which is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2024.
The venue would be just the second such domed arena in South Korea and would ensure fewer KBO games are postponed due to rainouts.
“By acting quickly on our plans for the dome, we’ll make sure Incheon will be ahead of other municipalities in opening the era of a domed stadium,” Shinsegae vice-chairman Chung Yong-jin said in a statement. “This will also help develop Incheon into an international city.”
SSG Landers manager Kim Won-hyong welcomed the news of the new dome, saying it will help eliminate uncertainty and unpredictability when it comes to playing through inclement weather. The team has played at the 23,000-capacity Incheon SSG Landers Field since 2002.
“The biggest advantage of having a dome as your home is that players will be able to stick with their routines to prepare for games without being affected by weather conditions,” Kim said. “During monsoon seasons, players are exposed to injury risks because of slippery and wet fields. The dome will get rid of those dangers.”
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