And Bud Selig is spared the 2nd or 3rd biggest black eye of his tenure. From the Washington Post’s David Nakamura, Thomas Heath and Barry Svrluga.
The D.C. Council gave its formal blessing to a deal to bring the Washington Nationals to the city today, ending two months of acrimonious debate by approving financing to build a baseball stadium along the Anacostia waterfront.
By a vote of 7 to 6, the council adopted a stadium package that contains several amendments to the deal Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) struck with Major League Baseball in September to move the former Montreal Expos to Washington.
The amendments were offered by Chairman Linda W. Cropp (D), who feared that potential cost overruns would make the mayor’s financing package too risky for the city.
Under the final deal, the city will continue to search for private money to cover at least 50 percent of the cost of the ballpark. The District and Major League Baseball will share the cost of insurance against cost overruns. And the city will be liable for $5.3 million for one season of compensatory damages — compared to $19 million or more in the original deal — if the stadium does not open by March 2008.
Nationals President Tony Tavares said the team would be almost fully operational beginning tomorrow morning. Season tickets will go back on sale, and the team will begin contacting the 563 fans who asked to have their deposits returned to see if they’re still interested. The team’s only merchandise store, a heated trailer in a parking lot outside RFK Stadium, will open tomorrow morning.
That the trailer is heated is a rather key point, as I was concerned Vinny Castilla would freeze to death over the holidays.