Last week, D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission officials acknowledged that because the new ballpark will be more expensive than expected, they have been forced to remove $55 million in infrastructure improvements -- including the repaving of nearby roads and expansion of a Metro station -- from the stadium budget. They said they would ask the federal government and private developers to cover those costs.
Meanwhile, baseball officials involved in stadium lease negotiations with the sports commission have taken a hard line on the city's financial demands. They have balked at the commission's demand for a $24 million letter of credit that would cover the Nationals' lease payments in case of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or players strike. And so far they have resisted the commission's request that baseball contribute $20 million to pay for underground parking.
Council member Kathy Patterson (D-Ward 3), who voted against the stadium financing deal last year, said: "I am prepared to support the deal we made a year ago that was $535 million, but when we add the Metro and other costs, I think that needs to be out front and explained, and we need to know what we're getting into. And I think that there needs to be more support from a new owner or from Major League Baseball."
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who also voted against the project last year, said: "I cannot imagine why the lease would not be submitted to the council. If it is submitted as a bad deal, I can't imagine it being approved."
On Monday, the council will hold an oversight hearing on baseball matters at the John A. Wilson Building.
The council's involvement in the lease represents a setback for the mayor, the sports commission and baseball, all of which had been operating under the assumption that any lease agreement reached by the negotiators would be locked in place.
Mayoral spokesman Vince Morris said that Williams will abide by whatever Cropp decides on whether the lease will receive a vote from the council.
But Morris added that "the plan has already been approved by the council once, the overall agreement, and we've kept the council up to speed every step of the way and kept within the parameters of the original agreement."
Under city law, the council votes on all contracts that would cost the District $1 million or more. However, in the case of the stadium lease, the city will receive money through a $6 million annual rent payment from the Nationals.
Traci Hughes, a spokeswoman for the D.C. attorney general, said the office received a copy of the current lease language last week and is still reviewing whether the council is required to vote.
The council had an opportunity to vote on significant baseball legislation earlier this month when three technical amendments were proposed to correct inaccuracies in the stadium financing deal. Some members said before the vote that they would seek to reopen last year's agreement and get more money from baseball.
But Cropp vowed to block such motions, and the council approved the amendments 11 to 2, with only David A. Catania (I-At Large) and Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4) voting against them.
Staff writer Thomas Heath contributed to this report.
