By KHT Staff
TAINAN — Tainan City’s long-planned “Little Dome” project — officially titled the Tainan City Sports, Arts and Leisure Park BOT Project — remains stalled after a second round of bidding failed to attract investors, city officials confirmed.
The BOT (build-operate-transfer) development, first proposed around 2010, is planned for a 15-hectare site in Tainan’s East District, within the South Tainan Station subcenter. The project envisions a 20,000-seat indoor arena alongside cultural, commercial, and leisure facilities, with 1.6 hectares designated for public parking. Roughly NT$23 billion will be needed to build the project.
After restarting the tender process in September 2025, the city again failed to secure a private partner, with potential investors citing the project’s high capital requirements and financial risk. In response, the municipal government says it will revise bidding conditions and relaunch the tender in March, with results expected by June.
Land values around the site have reportedly risen by more than 40 percent, indicating development potential. Officials plan to adjust public infrastructure provisions and expand outreach to potential investors.
City councilors, however, criticized the prolonged delays, noting that the project has been in planning for more than 15 years without tangible progress. One city councilor pointed out that former mayor, now-President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had pledged to complete the project during his tenure — a promise that remains unfulfilled.
Finance Bureau Director Lee Chien-hsien (李建賢) acknowledged that failed bids are not uncommon for large public-private partnerships but said the city aims to secure a partner before Mayor Huang Wei-che’s (黃偉哲) term ends. No construction timeline has been finalized, though earlier projections suggest building would not begin before 2028.
The site currently remains vacant.
Source: UDN
