Sogo department store at Taipei Dome to open before Lunar New Year

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After years of preparation, and a trial opening period from November, Taipei Farglory Dome will begin regular operations from early February. (Photo Credit: UDN Database)

A blessing ceremony, attended by Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), was held on Friday (Jan. 19) at Taipei Dome. Sogo department store and commercial buildings on site are expected to open for business before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, reported UDN.

Taipei Farglory Dome is expected to hold a ceremony on Feb. 2 to mark the end of its trial operation period, which began in mid-November, with a “closed-door” exhibition game held on Nov. 14. The dome’s first public event was a baseball game held on Nov. 18.

The Sogo department store, or Sogo City, is expected to open for business after Feb. 2, but before the start of the holidays on Feb. 9. Taipei Dome Sogo will include three separate business divisions, including a department store, hotel, and cinema.

With final preparations and decorating at each division proceeding separately, they may each begin operations on separate days, according to the deputy chief of the Taipei Dome Preparatory Office, Chen Shi-hao (陳世浩).

The license for Sogo to operate the department store has already been issued, and licenses for the operation of the cinema and hotel are expected to be issued within the next two weeks. The Taipei Dome hotel will be operated by the Intercontinental Hotels Group, per UDN.