Posted on 12/15/2004 5:02:08 PM PST by Former Military Chick
The president of Major League Baseball today rejected as "wholly unacceptable" the D.C. Council's revised plan for financing a new Washington baseball stadium and said baseball officials would cease all promotion and business activities in the city.
In a statement issued early this evening, Bob DuPuy said the stadium financing plan approved by the council late last night after significant changes "does not reflect the agreement we signed and relied upon after being invited by District leaders to consider Washington as a home for Major League Baseball. The legislation is inconsistent with our carefully negotiated agreement and is wholly unacceptable to Major League Baseball."
DuPuy, who also is the chief operating officer for Major League Baseball, noted that the agreement that baseball officials negotiated with Mayor Anthony A. Williams does not expire until Dec. 31 and that city officials may yet make changes to the stadium deal to ease baseball officials' concerns. Still, he hinted that the National League team slated to move to Washington from Montreal could end up elsewhere.
"Because our stadium agreement provides for a December 31, 2004 deadline, we will not entertain offers for permanent relocation of the club until that deadline passes," he said. "In the meantime, the club's baseball operations will proceed, but its business and promotional activities will cease until further notice. We thank the fans of Washington, D.C. for their support and enthusiasm, but given the present uncertainty, any ticket purchaser who entrusted us with a deposit may request a refund through the club's ticket office."
Earlier in the day, Williams also said that the deal to bring a major league team to the city is in "great, great jeopardy."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
bump
Hell, no. I don't want my taxes going to subsidize these corporate-welfare leeches.
Fine. If they want higher taxes.
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