[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     H. CON. RES. 305, ``IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME'' BASEBALL 
                             FRIENDSHIP ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 21, 2003

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution, H. 
Con. Res. 305, ``If You Build It They Will Come'' Baseball Friendship 
Act, expressing the sense of Congress that Major League Baseball should 
select Monterrey, Mexico, as a host for a quarter of the Montreal Expos 
games next season as a show of goodwill between the United States and 
Mexico.
  In recent weeks, the United States Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza 
has written to the Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig 
urging the League to play a quarter of their home games in Mexico.
  The Montreal Expos were bought by the other 29 Major League Baseball 
franchises before the 2002 season, and to increase revenue, Major 
League Baseball relocated 22 Expos home games to San Juan, Puerto Rico, 
for the 2003 season. Under this proposal, the people of Puerto Rico can 
continue to enjoy Major League Baseball.
  Major League Baseball officials have spent many months discussing a 
permanent move of the Montreal Expos franchise, despite baseball's 
intention to decide by the end of the regular season, it appears no 
long-term site will be selected for the 2004 season.
  Monterrey, Mexico, is a metropolitan area of about 3 million people 
130 miles south of Laredo, TX, and is one of the safest cities in Latin 
America. Monterrey has played host to a number of successful major 
league baseball games over the last few years, and is the longtime home 
to the Sultans of the Mexican League, and the Sultans ballpark that 
could be expanded to more than 30,000 seats.
  I believe a commitment from Major League Baseball to play a quarter 
of the Montreal Expos' home games in Mexico would be a strong statement 
of friendship and goodwill between our countries and cultures, as we 
have shared with our other neighbor, Canada, for nearly 30 years. It's 
time that we include Mexico and make baseball the North American 
pastime. For the good of baseball, for the good of the people of these 
two great nations, if we build it, they will come.

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