TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) unveiled a series of regulatory measures Thursday (May 8) aimed at mitigating vibrations emanating from the capital's massive indoor stadium, the Taipei Dome (台北大巨蛋). The policy changes follow months of community complaints after concerts by A-Mei (張惠妹), one of Taiwan's most prominent pop stars, reportedly sent shockwaves through residential buildings in the upscale Xinyi District (信義區), the city's primary commercial and entertainment hub.
The mayor committed to implementing enhanced oversight mechanisms for Farglory (遠雄), the private development corporation that manages the 40,000-seat venue. His administration will now require vibration monitoring results as part of the facility's mandatory annual performance reviews, with independent specialists conducting the assessments. Yu Chu-ping (游竹萍), who heads the city's Department of Sports (體育局), the municipal agency overseeing stadium operations, confirmed ongoing dialogues with Farglory to address neighborhood concerns.
Municipal officials announced that Farglory will implement vibration monitoring equipment at three strategic locations surrounding the stadium: Guangfu Elementary School (光復國小), Song-shan Senior High School (松山高中), and a residential building at Guangfu South Road (光復南路) No. 90. The controversy escalated when community representatives described the vibrations from A-Mei's five consecutive December performances as resembling seismic activity, prompting particular concern for the structural integrity of the nearby Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區), a protected historical complex housed in a former tobacco factory.
Engineering specialists who evaluated the vibrations following the December concerts concluded that while perceptible, the tremors posed negligible structural risk to surrounding buildings. As part of the city's remediation strategy, officials have instituted a new requirement for Farglory to issue comprehensive pre-event notifications to nearby residents and institutions, establishing a communication framework that aims to balance the venue's economic benefits with community livability concerns. ★