Featured image credit: Philip Davis
A new 5,000-seat baseball stadium has opened in The Bahamas, with Prime Minister Philip Davis throwing the first pitch during a ceremony ahead of its inaugural game earlier this week.
Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium is located on the island of New Providence and has been named in honour of former Major League Baseball player Rodgers, who was born in Nassau.
The opening ceremony was held ahead of The Bahamas’ game against the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Baseball Cup. Prime Minister Davis, a big baseball fan, was joined at the ceremony by Jazz Chisholm Jr., a Bahamian player for the Miami Marlins.
“Now that we have upgraded our facilities to world-class standards I anticipate that The Bahamas will become a nexus in the regional baseball arena,” Davis said, according to news outlet The Tribune.
“The stadium has now positioned The Bahamas as a primary destination for all sports (and) tourism and underpins our sports in paradise brand. The new state-of-the-art stadium with artificial turf has been constructed and approved to meet Major League Baseball professional standards.
“It will seat approximately 5,000 spectators and include international standards, dugouts and the latest technology in digital scoreboards and sound systems.”
The first match at the stadium was attended by the family of Rodgers, who passed away in 2004. Rodgers was the first player from The Bahamas to play in MLB.
Mario Bowleg, The Bahamas’ Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, said that although the stadium is only 78% complete, it is “100% ready” for baseball.
“There’s some minor stuff that needs to be done, all the paving in the road, the link is still to be completed,” he said. “So, without a push I think by the end of January or February we’ll be 100% completed. But what’s most important is it’s baseball ready.”
Bowleg added that the Marlins will host part of their spring training camp at the stadium.
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