Dominican commission recommends new MLB-standard stadium in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo.- A government commission tasked with evaluating the future of baseball infrastructure in the Dominican Republic has formally recommended the construction of a new Major League Baseball (MLB)-standard stadium in Santo Domingo’s Ensanche La Fe district. The proposal, submitted to President Luis Abinader, envisions a modern ballpark with a capacity of 20,000 to 21,000 spectators, integrated into a large-scale commercial, residential, tourism, and entertainment development designed to ensure the project’s long-term financial sustainability.

According to commission chairman Jorge Subero Isa, the recommendation follows an extensive technical, legal, and financial review involving more than 20 meetings with experts, urban planners, lawyers, and baseball stakeholders. The plan calls for the Dominican State to contribute the land while private investors finance construction through a mixed corporation jointly owned by the government and private capital. A special law would be required to establish the entity, define governance rules, protect public interests, and guarantee legal certainty for investors.

The commission concluded that the current Quisqueya Juan Marichal Stadium does not meet MLB requirements for hosting official Major League games. The proposed new facility would feature state-of-the-art technology and be built near major transportation corridors and the Santo Domingo Metro. Beyond the stadium, the project would include retail spaces, residential developments, parking facilities, tourism amenities, and potentially a hotel, with preliminary investment estimates ranging from US$250 million to more than US$300 million. Authorities also stressed that the new stadium would remain state-owned, the Dominican winter baseball league would continue operating at Quisqueya Stadium during construction, and the Carlos Teo Cruz Boxing Coliseum would be preserved and renovated as part of the development.