New Taipei City Selects Shulin for Large Dome Stadium; DPP Demands Financial, Transport Plans

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih announced on July 22 that the Jijiwu area in Shulin District has been selected as the site for a new large dome stadium. The decision comes after two years of planning for the "egg-hatching plan," as it is known.

The New Taipei City Council's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus acknowledged Hou's decision to finalize the site selection late in his term. However, they stressed the need for a complete financial plan and timeline, given the project's estimated cost of tens of billions of New Taiwan dollars, as well as its implications for urban planning, land development, and transportation infrastructure.

The DPP caucus also criticized New Taipei City mayoral candidate Li Chuan-chiao, accusing him of repeatedly using Taipei's two dome stadiums as personal achievements while downplaying the efforts of the Taipei City government team. They questioned whether he would also take responsibility for any future issues, such as leaks or facility disputes, that might arise with the new stadium.

Li Chuan-chiao's campaign office responded, stating that his comments about the stadium site selection criteria, including convenient transportation and proximity to public transit, align with the New Taipei City government and expert teams. They accused DPP city councilor Dai Wei-shan of misinterpreting Li's statements and urged the DPP caucus not to follow her lead, citing past controversies surrounding her statements.