Summary of the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium Scandal
The Hsinchu City Government invested over NT$1.2 billion to rebuild the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium, yet the completed project was riddled with critical flaws.
After the first professional baseball game in 2022, multiple players were injured due to field issues. A report from an American expert team revealed that the infield soil composition did not meet professional standards—worse than that of high school or even public park fields. The field suffered from poor drainage, becoming rock-hard when dry and waterlogged when wet, making games impossible.
Design flaws were found throughout the stadium, such as restroom doors for women being installed with the locks on the outside. In July 2022, the Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office launched an investigation. The Control Yuan followed suit in October to determine whether there was any illegal misconduct or negligence. In 2023, it was further exposed that large amounts of waste materials—bricks, wires, and construction debris—had been buried under the field.
An audit report pointed out numerous failures under then-Mayor Lin Chih-chien’s administration, including poor project supervision, failure to re-tender despite budget surges, allowing contractors to build based on faulty designs, and rushing to open the stadium before the turf maintenance period had ended.
Current Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao confirmed that the stadium was in such poor condition it could not be used as a venue for the 2023 World Baseball Classic warm-up games. Compared to the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium and the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium—both of which were built on smaller budgets—Hsinchu’s stadium appears to be a clear case of overspending.
The scandal has triggered widespread public outrage and doubt over the quality of public works, the effectiveness of government oversight, and the proper use of taxpayer funds.
A Sky-High Budget, Yet Worse Than a Public Park?
Despite boasting an NT$1.2 billion price tag, the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium has suffered from major drainage issues and waterlogging. Experts from Major League Baseball said the field quality didn’t even meet high school or public park standards. Players were injured, with some sustaining career-threatening injuries. By contrast, Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium (NT$600 million) and Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium (NT$1 billion)—built for far less—have achieved international quality. The stark contrast highlights the mismatch between Hsinchu’s budget and its disappointing results.
Outrageous! Stadium Hides a “Treasure Trove” of Construction Waste
After Mayor Ann Kao took office, her administration inspected the stadium and discovered a shocking amount of buried construction waste—bricks, electrical wires, plastic, and more—beneath the surface. Experts stated that such materials have no place in a stadium’s soil layers. There were even reports of suspicious removals of buried wires, raising concerns about potential destruction of evidence. Such subpar construction is unfathomable for a project of this scale and cost.
Who Will Be Held Accountable? What About the Taxpayers?
The Hsinchu Baseball Stadium budget started at NT$350 million and ballooned to over NT$1.2 billion. The audit report highlighted major lapses by the previous administration: lack of proper oversight, failure to re-tender despite rising costs, allowing contractors to build from faulty plans, and rushing acceptance of the project before turf maintenance was complete. Investigations by prosecutors and the Control Yuan are ongoing, but there have been no clear outcomes. Has taxpayers’ money simply been poured into a stadium that’s unsafe and unusable?
Timeline
After its reconstruction, the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium hosted its first professional game. But instead of celebration, the event ended in injuries and controversy. Star player Lin Chih-sheng (also known as Ngayaw Ake) slipped in the dugout, and Fubon outfielder Lin Che-Hsuan reportedly injured his left shoulder after diving onto debris on the field. Within just two days, four players had been injured, prompting the players' union to suggest suspending games in Hsinchu.
July 22, 2022The Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office launched an investigation into the stadium scandal.
July 2022Former Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien publicly apologized on Facebook, taking responsibility for the stadium’s quality issues.
July 23, 2022The Control Yuan also stepped in to investigate potential legal violations or administrative negligence in the stadium’s procurement and construction.
October 2022Ann Kao was sworn in as Hsinchu’s new mayor.
December 25, 2022During Lin’s administration, the city government had spent public funds on advertorials falsely claiming the stadium’s repairs were complete.
Before December 25, 2022A facility manager from Major League Baseball took samples of the stadium’s soil for testing and discovered serious issues. On the same day, bricks, beer cans, and other trash were found under the turf.
In 2022Subsequent inspections by the new city administration revealed even more buried waste, including electrical wires and other debris.
January 4, 2023A structural safety assessment by the Taiwan Structural Engineers Association concluded that the stadium failed to meet safety standards.
February 20, 2023As the city removed layers of covering soil, it uncovered vast amounts of construction waste, including reinforced concrete blocks, plastic, aluminum cans, and netting. Disturbingly, parts of the construction monitoring footage had disappeared, raising suspicions of a cover-up.
February 2023Mayor Ann Kao later announced that, due to the stadium’s poor condition, it would not be used as a venue for the 2023 World Baseball Classic warm-up games.
March 2023The city submitted the inspection reports to prosecutors and plans to hold meetings to examine the project’s failures.
After Ann Kao took office as Hsinchu’s mayorThe Public’s Questions
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Was NT$1.2 billion of taxpayer money just flushed down the drain?
The Hsinchu City Government spent over NT$1.2 billion of public funds on rebuilding a stadium that ended up being substandard—even below high school level—and filled with construction waste. This massive budget could have been used for essential public services. Instead, it created a hazardous dump site disguised as a sports venue, making it clear that taxpayers' money was recklessly squandered.
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Can we ever feel safe watching a baseball game again?
Since the stadium opened in 2022, field conditions have caused injuries to multiple professional players. The players’ union recommended suspending games, and MLB experts confirmed many areas of the field were not up to standard. A dangerous playing surface doesn’t just threaten athletes’ careers—it also shakes fans’ confidence. The question now is whether Taiwan can still provide safe, professionally certified venues for future games.
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Who should be held accountable for this mess?
Following the scandal, questions have mounted over whether the Lin Chih-chien administration committed fraud or serious oversight failures during project planning, bidding, and supervision. The audit report highlighted many flaws under Lin’s leadership. While investigations by prosecutors and the Control Yuan are underway, the public still awaits answers. People want to know who is responsible—and they want justice.
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Are other local governments wasting money like this too?
The stark contrast between the NT$1.2 billion Hsinchu stadium and the lower-cost, higher-quality venues like Taipei Tianmu Stadium and Taichung Intercontinental Stadium has raised alarm. Citizens are asking whether similar supervision and mismanagement problems plague other public projects—and whether taxpayer money is being similarly misused elsewhere.
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Has our government become unhinged?
The Hsinchu Baseball Stadium faced serious issues from design to construction to acceptance. The project was rushed into operation without passing inspections or completing the required turf maintenance period. Later, the mysterious disappearance of surveillance footage from the construction site further fueled suspicions of negligence or cover-ups. These failures reflect a breakdown in government oversight and have deeply shaken public trust in the administration’s ability to safeguard the quality of public infrastructure.
Videos
2022-07-24
Outrageous! 4 Players Injured in 2 Days at Hsinchu Baseball Stadium — NT$1.2 Billion Spent, but the Women’s Restroom Locks Are on the Outside
2023-01-05
Buried Treasure Uncovered! Hsinchu Stadium Filled with Waste Bricks and Electrical Wires — Even MLB Was Shocked!
2023-08-29
NT$1.2 Billion Hsinchu Baseball Stadium Falls Short of Park-Level Standards
2025-02-21
Hsinchu Baseball Stadium Fails to Meet Safety Standards, Official Report Finds
2025-02-25
Buried Treasure? Construction Waste Found Beneath Hsinchu Baseball Stadium
2025-03-05
Construction Waste Unearthed — Hsinchu City Government Admits: “Structural Safety Is in Question”
2025-03-05
Full Breakdown of the “Buried Treasure” at Hsinchu Stadium! How Did a NT$1.2 Billion Stadium End Up Useless?
2025-04-03
Ann Kao: We’ve Repaid NT$4.5 Billion of the Previous Administration’s NT$10 Billion Debt — Completing a Public Project Every 1.2 Days
2023-08-25
MLB’s Report on Hsinchu Stadium Defects Sparks Firestorm for Lai Ching-te’s Campaign
2025-02-25
Construction Waste Found at Hsinchu Baseball Stadium — Prosecutors Launch Site Investigation
2025-03-06
