Last week, Juan Sanchez Correa, the engineer in charge of the repairs to the Julian Javier Stadium in San Francisco de Macoris, said that despite rumors to the contrary, the stadium will be ready for the beginning of the 1996-97 Winter Baseball Season with the new team representing San Francisco de Macoris, the Gigantes del Nordeste.
Mr. Sanchez Correa told the host of a radio program in the northern Cibao region that the lights are being installed, and the seats and scoreboard will arrive in a matter of days. He also said that the team will be able to practice in the stadium two days before the beginning of the season on 25 October. The repair of the stadium has been the biggest concern of those connected with the new team.
Two of the other teams in the six-member Professional Winter League, the Leones del Escogido (Santo Domingo) and the Aguilas Cibaenas (Santiago) have already begun their practices. The Tigres del Licey (Santo Domingo), the Azucareros del Este (La Romana) and the Estrellas Orientales (San Pedro de Macoris) will soon begin theirs, having to wait for their stars in U.S. Major League Baseball to return.