The Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park, set to open as the new home of the professional baseball team Hanwha Eagles, boasts impressive internal facilities alongside its striking exterior. In addition to state-of-the-art facilities for the home team, training spaces for visiting teams have also been provided.

The Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, which will officially open on the 5th of next month, was built at a total cost of 207.4 billion won (150 million won in national funds, 143.8 billion won in local government funds, and 48.6 billion won from Hanwha), with a basement of two floors and four above ground, covering a total floor area of 58,405.56 square meters. It can accommodate up to 27,000 people, with parking available for a total of 1,676 vehicles.

With the country's first asymmetrical ground featuring an 8-meter-high monster wall on the right, Asia's first double-decker bullpen, and the world's first infinity pool, the new ballpark is preparing to welcome fans with features never seen before in Korean baseball stadiums.

While the unique exterior of the baseball park stands out, the internal facilities are even more astonishing. Starting with a clubhouse where the Hanwha players will live like at home, the training and relaxation spaces have been furnished with state-of-the-art facilities, including a gym, indoor training room, dining area, sauna, physical therapy room, power analysis room, and conference room.

The previous Hanwha Life Eagles Park, formerly Hanbat Baseball Stadium, opened in 1964 and was used for 61 years until last year. Although it was remodeled multiple times to expand the seating area and maintained reasonably well, it could not escape aging. Above all, due to spatial limitations, both the home and away indoor facilities were too small compared to other stadiums.

However, the new stadium has ample space, and all areas are interconnected for easy movement. In particular, the clubhouse creates a grand atmosphere with its luxurious interior and soft lighting, rivaling the level of major league clubhouses. A Hanwha official noted, "We reflected the players' opinions in creating the clubhouse's interior. We heard the opinions of senior players regarding everything from locker room structure to chair and sofa forms, as well as necessary appliances," adding that many suggestions were taken from player Ryu Hyun-jin, who has played extensively in Major League Baseball.

Ryu Hyun-jin spent a remarkable 11 years in Major League Baseball, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2013 to 2019 and the Toronto Blue Jays from 2020 to 2023. During his long career, he visited numerous ballparks in the United States, drawing from his firsthand experiences to provide various suggestions.

To aid players in recovering from fatigue, a bath and sauna have been added to the shower area, and the height of the gym and indoor training room has been increased to create a spacious atmosphere for exercise. The team's conference room has also been designed in a horizontal theater-style layout, enhancing immersion. A family lounge for players' families has been provided, similar to those in major league teams. This new setup is expected to significantly enhance the players' performance.

A Hanwha official said, "The existing stadium had cramped internal spaces, causing considerable discomfort for the players. Now, they will demonstrate much better performance in a state-of-the-art environment." Star player Noh Si-hwan also expressed his expectations about the new stadium, saying, "While everything else is good, I look forward to the players' rest areas, indoor training room, and showers. Improving such environments will help with mental preparedness and condition management before and after games."

Space has been generously allocated not only for the home team but also for the visiting team. In the previous stadium, the visiting team's clubhouse lacked enough space for all players, forcing junior players to endure the inconvenience of changing clothes in the hallway with their gear. This is no longer the case.

Notably, there is an indoor training room inside the visiting team's clubhouse as well. It is spacious enough to accommodate two players batting, allowing those on the bench during games to warm up or practice their swings. This improvement is believed to have originated from a request by KBO President Heo Koo-yeon, who served as chairman of the advisory committee for the new Daejeon stadium during the initial design phase.

In addition to the existing construction costs, Hanwha is investing significantly in the interior to create the optimal space for players. Currently, the internal renovations are nearing completion, and the players returning from spring training on the 4th of next month will be welcomed into a major league-level clubhouse.