DC Council Says No to Professional Baseball

[Luke_Wilbur]

I was a long time Baltimore Orioles fan, but when the Nationals came to town I switched jerseys.

 

Last year my wife and I got season tickets and really had a blast. View some of the photos.

 

http://dcpages.com/gallery/view_album.php?...ionals-Baseball

 

We would take friends to the games and stumble into the Capitol Lounge or other local pubs.

 

I cannot tell you how much money we laid down in the District, but it was pretty significant.

 

I am thinking of doing it again, but I think the DC Government is going to do it again to us.

Just like what they did to the now Prince George's Redskins.

 

I hope everyone who fumbled this opportunity to build up the District get run out of town.

 

I joked with a few Congressmen that the only way the Disctrict would get representation is our local governement start making some money and improve our living conditions. Tourism is a large revenue stream, but the Washington DC Metro Community is much greater.

[bfrankdc]

I too was an Orioles fan going back to the great teams of the late 1970's early 1980's. The moment the Nats played their first home game at RFK, I was hooked (even though I couldn't hear or watch most of the games).

 

I hope that MLB accepts the deal approved by the council (so am not sure where the pessimism is coming from, unless something was announced in the past hour).

 

I couldn't agree with you more that most on the Council do not and did not understand or embrace the economic and civic benefit to MLBs presence inside the city borders.

 

That said, the Council, MLB and Peter Angelos can all go to a warmer climate over the way this whole affair has been handled.

[Luke_Wilbur]

In a 9-4 vote the DC Council reversed its earlier decision and approved a stadium lease on the following conditions.

 

The Nationals to pay half their normal rent for RFK Stadium if the new ballpark is not completed by spring 2008. Under the orginal agreement with baseball the Nationals would not have to pay rent 2007 season under the original lease.

 

The Nationals will give city more community benefits, including 10,000 free tickets each year for disadvantaged youth.

 

The lease agreement also obligates the team to work with the sports commission and other D.C. charitable groups to develop a dedicated year-round baseball training and recreational facility in the city.

 

As part of the agreement, the council passed legislation capping the city's costs at $610.8 million.

 

Now we just have to wait to see if Major League Baseball will agree to it.