August 24, 2003
Hang on, Youppi
One day after it voted down a stadium-financing bill to lure the Montreal Expos, the Oregon state senate reversed itself and approved the plan, 16-11, on Saturday. The main difference: an amendment that would require that a private entity (as yet unnamed) would be on the hook for the $150 million in stadium payments if revenues from the tax-on-players-and-team-execs plan fell short.
Now all that stands in the way of the Portland Expos is finding a private guarantor, finding another $150 million in public funds from Portland-area taxes, and convincing MLB that Portland could successfully host a big-league ballclub. It all could happen in time for the Expos to move in 2004, but we're not holding our breath.
Posted by Neil deMause
COMMENTS
POST A COMMENT