By Yoon Chul
The Kia Tigers will finally have a new baseball stadium on their home turf of Gwangju.
Kia announced Tuesday that it has decided to invest 30 billion won in Gwangju city’s plan to construct the stadium.
The new arena is expected to open for the Korea professional baseball league beginning in 2014.
The team based in South Jeolla Province will invest 10 billion won each year from 2011 to contribute to the total investment of 100 billion won.
Gwangju City has already secured 10 billion won while the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also earmarked a budget of 30 billion won.
The stadium will be part of a sports complex, which will be built just next to the Tigers’ present home.
The stadium plans to accommodate 25,000 spectators and the current arena will be used for the Gwangju Univerisiade in 2015 and for local citizens.
The stadium was noted for the predecessor of the current club, the Haitai Tigers, from 1982 to 2001.