Bidding for baseball Hall of Fame heats up

The bidding among cities to land the Korean Baseball Organization’s Hall of Fame has become competitive, as three cities so far have filed a proposal to the KBO.

After two baseball legends - Choi Dong-won and Jang Hyo-jo - passed away last month, KBO commissioner Koo Bon-neung publicly expressed that he will build the Hall of Fame to commemorate baseball’s greatest stars.

“The commissioner wants to confirm the site of the Hall of Fame this year,” KBO Secretary General Lee Sang-il said to Ilgan Sports, the JoongAng Ilbo’s daily sports newspaper.

The KBO previously planned to launch the Hall of Fame as part of their 30th season memorial commemoration, but the plan hasn’t progressed because finding a proper site has proved difficult.

However, with three cities filing proposals it seems the plan is back underway.

Incheon, a city located 80 kilometers (49.7 miles) west of Seoul, sent an official proposal on Sept. 21 and said they can build a Hall of Fame behind the Munhak Baseball Stadium, home to the SK Wyverns.

The city said that it will build a four-storey baseball museum, also utilizing a nearby site as a baseball theme park. The cost is expected to be 12.5 billion won ($10.4 million), according to the city officials.

Korea’s second largest city, Busan, also filed a proposal on Sept. 29, saying it can build a three-story building near Sajik Baseball Stadium, home of the Lotte Giants, and will take care of the operation costs for a certain period.

Seoul, home of the Doosan Bears and LG Twins, also said that it can host the proposed Hall of Fame underneath the Jamsil Baseball Stadium, but it seems to be falling behind the other two cities because it has asked KBO to pay for operation and remodeling costs.

By Choi Min-kyu, Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joongang.co.kr]