NewsWhore
04-06-2009, 05:00 PM
Hoy newspaper's 'Que se Dice' column written by journalist Claudio Acosta questions the value of the 118,089.91-square meter Quisqueya ballpark. A private group has secured government backing for the construction of a shopping center, 200 apartments and a 200-room hotel in the area, in addition to remodeling the Quisqueya ballpark so that the stadium complies with Major League Baseball games requirements. The journalist asks: "Why was the existence of a government decree transferring the land from Bienes Nacionales (National Assets) to the Banco Nacional de la Vivienda (National Housing Bank) kept secret? And why did the government not wait for Congress to approve the transfer as required by the Constitution? Or was it that the approval had already been negotiated and the legislators have that surprise in store for us?" he asks. He said that before the project promoters can call out "play ball" they need to answer these questions and many more in order to convince the country they are not making the deal of their lives at the expense of the impoverished state."
In another column in Hoy, journalist Franklin Mirabal comments that US$18-20 million would be enough to bring the old stadium up to par to host MLB games. "What they are talking about is using baseball as the excuse for a greater investment, and that is unheard of and unnecessary," He urged President Fernandez to drop his support for the project, which is promoted by private developer engineer Jesus Rodriguez Sandoval. The president of the Senate Sports Commission, Charlie Mariotti said that the donation of the land needs approval from both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The development would be known as Centro Deportivo y Cultural Juan Marichal and would have a budget of US$100 million, as reported in Listin Diario.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)
In another column in Hoy, journalist Franklin Mirabal comments that US$18-20 million would be enough to bring the old stadium up to par to host MLB games. "What they are talking about is using baseball as the excuse for a greater investment, and that is unheard of and unnecessary," He urged President Fernandez to drop his support for the project, which is promoted by private developer engineer Jesus Rodriguez Sandoval. The president of the Senate Sports Commission, Charlie Mariotti said that the donation of the land needs approval from both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The development would be known as Centro Deportivo y Cultural Juan Marichal and would have a budget of US$100 million, as reported in Listin Diario.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)