The behind-the-scenes competition between Chuncheon,먹튀검증 Wonju, and Gangneung surrounding the attraction of a dedicated stadium for Gangwon FC in the K League 1, a professional soccer team that pulled out a manager replacement card on the 15th due to sluggish performance, is heating up. However, Gangwon-do, which has the right to decide, is reluctant to attract a dedicated stadium to a specific city. For this reason, there is an analysis in the region that it is a battle of pride between the three cities to be recognized as the leader of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, which was launched on the 11th.
Disclosure of site plan, etc., heating before attracting
Wonju is a city that moves quickly to attract a dedicated stadium. Wonju City entered into a service to change the use of the Myeongryun-dong Sports Complex from a natural green area to a type 1 general residential area. It is said that it is a paving stone to prepare for the Gangwon FC exclusive stadium competition by raising the floor area ratio to 60%. An official from Wonju City said on the 15th, “Wonju, which has the largest population in Gangwon-do and has established itself as a professional basketball franchise city, is the best place for a dedicated stadium in terms of marketing.”
Chuncheon, the seat of the provincial government, is also poised not to be pushed back in the fight for pride. Chuncheon City recently announced that it plans to “promote a 11,000-seat stadium on a 20,000㎡ site in the Gongjicheon area by 2028.” The plan is to challenge the competition as soon as the plan to build a dedicated stadium in Gangwon-do becomes official. The mayor of Chuncheon, Yuk Dong-han, is showing a strong will by participating in the recent away game with supporters and Gangwon FC, and visiting the home game at Songam Stadium in Chuncheon.
It is judged that Gangneung, where relatively many Gangwon FC games are held and where the clubhouse is located, has an advantage. Gangneung City and local community organizations said, “The proposition that the closer the clubhouse, training ground, and home stadium are to maximize performance, the better, has been confirmed in professional leagues around the world.” As such, it is natural for the stadium to be located where the most passionate fans are.” Gangneung Jeil High School (formerly Gangneung Commercial High School) and Gangneung Jungang High School (formerly Gangneung Agricultural High School), which are prestigious soccer schools, are also touted as an advantage.
What is the true meaning of the competition?
The competition between the three cities is heating up, but Gangwon-do, concerned about the conflict, is focusing on the current tour. In September of last year, when the competition to attract a dedicated stadium escalated to an overheated aspect, Gangwon-do Vice Governor Jeong Gwang-yeol said, “If home games are concentrated in a specific city, fans in other cities will be lost.” .
Analysts say that the reason why the competition between the three cities does not subside despite traffic control at the provincial level is that they are aiming for the effect of imprinting Gangwon-do’s image as a ‘representative city’. The Gangwon region is divided into three regions: the northern Yeongseo region centered on Chuncheon, the southern region including Wonju, and the Yeongdong region along the east coast, including Gangneung, due to geographical factors such as the Baekdudaegan Mountains. Since the three regions are similar in size, the policy direction of Gangwon-do always focuses on balanced development. After experiencing extreme conflict in the process of selecting Wonju Innovation City in 2005, the competition between the three cities is intensifying.
In relation to the decision to attract special education centers for students with disabilities in March, the Gangwon Office of Education decided to set up the main office of the special education center in Chuncheon and branch offices in Wonju and Gangneung to be in charge of vocational education and family support programs. An official from Gangwon-do clearly drew the line, saying, “There is no plan to build a dedicated stadium.” In fact, the local sports world also predicted, “As long as the competition between the three cities is overheated, such as not only attracting a dedicated stadium, but also opposition to the rumor of the club’s office relocation, it is unlikely that Gangwon-do will build a dedicated stadium.”