Taipei Dome’s artificial turf installation raises concerns

台北巨蛋人造草皮裝置引發關注

Construction crews pull artificial turf onto concrete in preparation for year-end games


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Dome is entering into the final phase of decade-long construction, with workers recently installing an artificial grass playing surface.

Instead of drawing applause for marking the return of baseball to downtown Taipei, the work was ridiculed by netizens on social media platforms with claims the work was sloppily done, and no more than a thin layer of artificial turf applied directly to a concrete base, per UDN.

Many noted this playing surface is different from the artificial turf at the Tianmu Baseball Stadium, which was placed atop a thick layer of polyurethane material. A shoddy playing surface poses an injury risk to athletes, especially over the course of an entire baseball season.

Concerns were addressed by Taipei City Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) who said the artificial turf is being laid in accordance to standards used by the Tokyo Dome. He added the next step of installation includes covering the turf with four centimeters of sand imported from Japan.

Taipei City Department of Sports Commissioner Wang Hung-Shiang (王泓翔) added the Taipei Dome is using turf produced by Japan’s Mizuno Corporation with professional Japanese technicians guiding the installation.

Wang said that sand and rubber particles will be later added to the turf, much like the artificial turf installation at the Nagoya Dome and the Kyocera Dome Osaka.

Wang added that Mizuno’s artificial turf has been used for many years in a variety of domed baseball stadiums and has passed 16 certifications, and meets all of the requirements for hosting international baseball competitions.