Rome to Set aside Land for New Baseball Stadium

The Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno announced during the first International Baseball Federation (IBAF) Executive meeting of newly elected President Riccardo Fraccari that the city of Rome will donate a parcel of land slated for the construction of a new baseball stadium in Rome.

It might lack the grandeur of, say, the Colosseum, but the commitment to a stadium in Rome is a huge lift for the sport.

“I was enthusiastic when I had the chance to cooperate with IBAF during the World Cup and I am enthusiastic now, since I can announce that the Government of this City has officially committed to the building of this new facility,” said Alemanno.  “Rome doesn’t have a baseball stadium that can host international events and as a Mayor, I felt I had to fill this deficiency.”

The stadium will be built in Tor Vergata, just east of Rome.  “It’s not downtown Rome,” noted Alemanno, “but it’s an area where huge development is in progress.  The second University of Rome is based there and the new sports arena projected by Architect Calatrava will be soon completed.”

Rome and IBAF share the same Olympic dream, with Rome in the running for the 2020 Games.  The 2009 Baseball World Cup finals were held in nearby Nettuno.

Fraccari added that he will be “Supporter number one” of the project.

“I think that there can be an important cooperation between the city of Rome, IBAF and MLB,” said Fraccari.  “I expect the synergy effect to be really strong.”

Mayor Alemanno also stressed that the new facility will be important for Rome to host major events, but also to help the development of the game in the Eternal City.

“I am positive,” he said, “that baseball has a great potential in Rome.”

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Topics: Baseball Stadium, baseball world cup, Calatrava, City Of Rome, Colosseum, Executive Meeting, Gianne Alemanno, Gianni Alemanno, Grandeur, Great Potential, IBAF, International, MLB, New Rome, New Sports, Olympic Dream, Parcel Of Land, Riccardo Fraccari, Roman Coliseum, Rome, Sports Arena, University Of Rome, World Cup, World Cup Finals

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