Nats Risk Priceless Goodwill For $100,000 a Day in Damages

Others are not so quick to get excited about this apparent souring of the relationship. "Clearly, the stadium was done in time," says D.C. council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), a longtime supporter of the ballpark project. "We played baseball there on Opening Night. But the Lerners, without passing judgment on this, are in the construction business, and their reputation is to be very meticulous, so it would not surprise me that they would seek to stick to the letter of the contract."

The Lerners take great pride in the stadium, and especially in the $50 million worth of snazzy extras they paid for, such as the gorgeous scoreboard, bathrooms in the luxury suites and a better class of restaurant out beyond centerfield. Add that to the $450 million purchase price for the franchise, and the family is entitled to ask that it gets what was agreed to.

But the District and the fans paying the taxes that pay off the stadium bonds are deep into this project too, to the tune of $611 million in construction costs and millions more in infrastructure around the ballpark.

Both sides feel tapped out, but the Nationals have a long way to go before baseball is once again firmly rooted in Washington. It wouldn't be fair to ask the owner to open the spigots and spend with all the abandon of, say, the D.C. government, but the Nats do need to send the message that they are determined to make this team both a cherished public institution and a financial success. Diving into petty disputes only muddies that message.

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