ORANJESTAD – In 2015, the Government of Curacao and International Baseball Partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of a MLB complex on the island of Curacao. After the project came to a complete halt, local newspaper Antiliaans Dagblaad is reporting new development.

Project 421 Curacao

The sucessor of the Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Steven Martina is now ready to make this project a reality and attract at least for MLB clubs to establish their academies in Curacao.



According to Mr. Mike Power of the International Baseball Partners, he has spoken with Mr. Steven Martina and the real estate developer Mr. John Daryanani who indicated that the timing in 2015 was perfect. However after the signing of the MoU did not result in something tangible. When the clubs decided to move out of Venezuela because of the political situation, Curacao would have been the perfect location. Curacao is centered in the Caribbean and a baseball hotbed. Project 421 was welcomed by Major League Baseball enthusiastically.

Partners involved in Project 421 believe that this is a great opportunity for Curacao. On annual basis a estimate of 10 to 20 million dollars of economic development could be expected.

According to Powers, the original MoU needs to be updated and the update will be send to Minister Steven Martina who need approval from the Government of Curacao. Curacao will need to assign a terrain for exploitation by International Baseball Partners. The complex will remain a property of Curacao and will receive rent for a long time.

They will go back to the MLB Clubs to see if they are still interested, according to Powers their will be interest because the Dominican Republic is crowded with baseball academies as all the MLB teams are established in the DR.

It appears IBP has found several investors that are interested in the project. And according to Mr. John Daryanani development can go fast, especially when you look at hotel projects that were realized on Curacao.

Perhaps the kickoff can be somewhere in 2019 so the academies can start at the end of 2020.