President Leonel Fernandez announced the start of construction of “Baseball Land,” a theme park around the Quisqueya Stadium this month. He said that four or five baseball fields will be built, Mario Melvin Soto’s memorabilia museum would be part of the complex, as well as restaurants, bars and shops. The Quisqueya Ball Park would be extended to seat 33,000 spectators. The bleachers are to be covered. He also said that a hotel would be built behind the ballpark to house ball players as well as private offices. “We want to bring the pre-season games in 2006 and 2007 to host official Major League games, which would be transmitted to the US, he said. Fernandez held a luncheon at the Presidential Palace yesterday for several Dominican ball players, on the eve of their return to the US for the Major League spring training. He said that clinics would be held in Baseball Land, and tourists would be able to shake hands and have their photographs taken with Dominican major league ball players there. Public Works Minister Freddy Perez said that the first phase would cost US$20 million and most of the financing would come from the private sector. He explained that the government would provide the land and the initial funding. The project will entail the demolition of businesses and housing in the Avenida Tiradentes, San Cristobal, Pepillo Salcedo and Euclides Morillo areas.
Attending the luncheon were Julio Lugo, Neifi Perez, Aramis Ramirez, Jose Offerman, Ronnie Belliard, Albert Pujols, Julio Santana, Odalis Perez, D’angelo Jimenez, Juan Carlos Cruz, Alfredo Griffin and George Bell.