President Luis Abinader headed this Tuesday the inauguration of the new baseball academy of the Major League Baseball franchise, Baltimore Orioles, which is located in the town of Cabreto, in Santo Antonio de Guerra.
President Abinader arrived at 10:30 in the morning and immediately began the formal ceremony, in which participated, among others, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Francisco Camacho. The top executives of the Orioles presented the Dominican president with a jersey.
The project was built on some 100,000 square meters. The amount of the investment was not disclosed, but it will have, among other things, three stadiums and a study hall, a kitchen area, dormitories, bathrooms, gymnasium, computer and English room, as well as laundry and other facilities.
Speaking at the meeting were Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mike@ Elias, and the organization’s Vice President of Exploration and International Operations, Koby Pérez.
Both thanked the cordiality and the gesture of President Luis Abinader for participating two years ago in the groundbreaking ceremony and then, this Tuesday, in the inauguration of the Academy, which they hope will be one of the best in Latin America.
They indicated that they are very pleased and happy to have this work that will bear great fruits for the franchise in the years to come and will help the community of Guerra and surrounding areas to develop.
Camacho highlighted government support
On behalf of the Dominican Government, Minister Camacho assured that the country enjoys the privilege of large investments by Major League Baseball teams in the United States and this has been evidenced by the administration of President Luis Abinader.
“This is a marriage without divorce. Here there are guarantees that the economic investments made by the Major League teams are guaranteed; furthermore, President Abinader is an honest and transparent man,” indicated Camacho.
He emphasized that sports and education go hand in hand and congratulated the Orioles organization for having this concept in the new platform they inaugurated this Tuesday.
Camacho said that he has instructions from the head of state to provide all the necessary support for Major League Baseball to continue with the construction of its academies in the country.
He recalled that the DR hosts the 30 Major League Baseball organizations and that this is due to the climate of confidence, support and legal security provided by the country, which has been widely strengthened during the administration of President Abinader.
Brian Mejía was the builder of the project and said that the aspiration is for the Orioles academy to be the best in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Also speaking at the event was John Angelos, the executive vice president of the Baltimore team, who thanked President Abinader for being present at this historic moment for the organization by opening the new academy.
“We are having many prospects from the DR and the entire region; for that reason, we have always given priority to the country, for being a nation that breathes baseball,” he said.
Angelos explained that the number one priority was to increase the development of young talent and they are succeeding.
“If teams do not have a presence in the DR, it is difficult for them to compete,” said Angelos.
He added that his team is focused on building strong relationships with the community to contribute to the development and training of students in technology as well as general training.
Among those present were the National Baseball Commissioner and former Major League Baseball player, Junior Noboa; Ramón Ruiz, representing the Caribbean Baseball Commissioner, Juan Francisco Puello Herrera; the Orioles’ stellar reliever, the Dominican Félix Bautista, as well as former Major League Baseball players Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jiménez, in addition to the Venezuelan Melvin Mora.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
