lawrencefrank
12-15-2004, 06:12 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Baseball's plan to move the Expos to Washington might come apart after the District of Columbia Council voted Tuesday night to require private financing for at least half the cost of a new ballpark.
After an 11 1/2 -hour session filled with contentious debate, the council voted 7-6 to approve legislation to finance construction of a ballpark. But the bill contained an amendment on private financing, a provision not contained in the September agreement between the Expos and Washington Mayor Anthony A. Williams.
``We will review the amendments and the legislation as passed and have a response tomorrow,'' said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.
If the law stands, baseball's likely response is to have the team play the 2005 season at Washington's RFK Stadium, where it would be known as the Nationals, while the commissioner's office reopens the search for a permanent home for the franchise.
The Expos were bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season.
Council Chair Linda Cropp offered the private financing provision, saying it would be crucial for her support. She was considered the swing vote on the 13-member council.
Cropp said she was not satisfied with concessions offered by baseball that would have made the deal more financially palatable for the city.
``I have not seen the movement from Major League Baseball that I would have liked in the past two weeks,'' Cropp said. ``My dream of dreams is that we will get enough private financing that the costs of building the stadium will be eliminated.''
After an 11 1/2 -hour session filled with contentious debate, the council voted 7-6 to approve legislation to finance construction of a ballpark. But the bill contained an amendment on private financing, a provision not contained in the September agreement between the Expos and Washington Mayor Anthony A. Williams.
``We will review the amendments and the legislation as passed and have a response tomorrow,'' said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.
If the law stands, baseball's likely response is to have the team play the 2005 season at Washington's RFK Stadium, where it would be known as the Nationals, while the commissioner's office reopens the search for a permanent home for the franchise.
The Expos were bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season.
Council Chair Linda Cropp offered the private financing provision, saying it would be crucial for her support. She was considered the swing vote on the 13-member council.
Cropp said she was not satisfied with concessions offered by baseball that would have made the deal more financially palatable for the city.
``I have not seen the movement from Major League Baseball that I would have liked in the past two weeks,'' Cropp said. ``My dream of dreams is that we will get enough private financing that the costs of building the stadium will be eliminated.''