Who's at Fault in the Stadium Standoff

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

In his Jan. 3 op-ed, "Why the Stadium Deal Isn't Done," Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy wrote as though baseball were performing a humanitarian service against its interest by relocating the Montreal Expos to Washington.

The D.C. area's huge population and media share, the Washington Nationals' financial success in 2005, and the league's anticipation of $450 million in franchise sale proceeds show that the District is the only choice for the Nats.

Rather than disparage D.C. Council members who realize how unworkable the stadium deal is and who refuse to embrace such a giveaway, Mr. DuPuy should be concerned about blowing baseball's chance to get the council to approve the stadium lease by baseball holding on to every dime and making only token concessions.

SHAWN McCARTHY

Director

League of Fans

Washington

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According to Bob DuPuy, Major League Baseball is an innocent party that has been hurt by the District's control of the stadium project and by the city's broader plans to bring economic development to the surrounding area. He said baseball has nothing to do with such development matters and, under the original agreement, would make no money from them.

What Mr. DuPuy did not mention is that, since the original agreement, the D.C. Council has been presented with two new agreements -- one of which is the lease deal -- that would give the Nationals new development rights in the area and at the stadium site, meaning less money for the District. This would make it more difficult for the District to cover cost overruns and other government obligations.

For example, the new agreements would require the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission to notify the team of its off-site economic development activities and give the team the right to participate. A new provision also would require accommodation of the team's plan to develop retail space on First Street SE by conforming the stadium specifications to that plan.

When the Nationals are not playing at the stadium, the commission would be allowed to hold events there for up to 18 days a year, but restrictions not in the original agreement would limit revenue for the District by prohibiting advertising by certain major industries. The commission's right to receive all parking revenue from its events also would be cut by a third.

The D.C. Council is entrusted with spending taxpayer money carefully. If Major League Baseball seeks changes from the original stadium agreement, publicly biting the hand that feeds it may not be the best way to go about it.

ALYSSA TALANKER

Attorney

D.C. Council

Washington

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The biggest problem with the proposed baseball stadium is not where it's going to be built but why it isn't being built as a multipurpose venue like MCI Center.

Building an old-fashioned, open-air baseball stadium in the 21st century is stupid. The economic conditions warrant -- indeed, demand -- a multipurpose venue to create a regular flow of events to shore up development of the area.

As planned, what are the shops, restaurants and other businesses supporting the stadium going to do between November and March?

JAMES M. MATAYA

Annandale

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Debra A. Schoonmaker's Jan. 3 letter, "D.C.'s Costly Stadium Restriction," was off-base. The stadium project labor agreement is not a "union-only" agreement. All contractors are encouraged to participate in the open bidding.

Further, with land acquisition prices increasing way beyond the city's projections, and with the cost of materials and labor relatively stable, it was simplistic and wrong for her to blame possible cost overruns on labor.

And our agreement requires significant hiring of D.C. residents and minority contractors.

A recent Government Accountability Office study found that "construction programs sponsored by employers without union participation have lower completion rates and wages for apprentices." Unionized construction firms are the best bets for delivering a quality product to the city while protecting workers' interests.

JERRY LOZUPONE

Executive Secretary-Treasurer

D.C. Building & Construction Trades Council

Washington