June 14, 2003
D.C., Va. stadium battles continue
The latest in the municipal bidding war for the Montreal Expos: D.C. mayor Anthony Williams' $339 million stadium plan has been battered from all sides, with the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute issuing a report that stadiums are bad investments for cities; D.C. chief financial officer warning that the financing plan could face a $2 million a year shortfall if the team plays too poorly to sell enough tickets; and both Republican opponents and community groups say the district should restore other budget cuts before building a stadium. Oh, and the city council has expressed little interest in funding Williams' plan, with council finance chair Jack Evans noting: "There is great support locally for baseball and not great support for public financing for baseball."
Across the Potomac, meanwhile, the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority is facing accusations that is violated public meetings laws by selecting stadium sites without a vote. The authority's response? Hire a guerrilla conflict mediator.
In Portland, Oregon, meanwhile, stadium backers just went to a ballgame, which by comparison sounds like a great idea.
