Screwballs

22 December 2004



Washington Baseball Drama Showcases Stadium Politics at Its Worst

Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, it seems that Major League Baseball will come to Washington, DC after all. The failing Montreal Expos, ward of MLB for a couple of seasons now, are headed south to the land of lobbyists and congressmen. And any arrangement involving them has to be politically messy. In true socialism-for-the-rich fashion, a compromise has been reached that plays the voters of DC for suckers.

In America, the local chamber of commerce in every city of reasonable size is convinced that a major league sports franchise means their city has arrived. Hence, places like Phoenix, Arizona, and Miami, Florida, have acquired baseball and basketball franchises, as well as ridiculously opting for NHL hockey teams in places where ice only occurs in soda pop and cocktails. But small-time politicos love sports deals because it makes them national players. Thus, DC Mayor Anthony Williams has been boosting baseball for DC ever since he took office. Apparently, he thinks the city's schools, transportation and sewage systems are all lesser priorities than baseball.

Of course, sports teams in America seem to believe that they don’t live in a capitalist society. Stadia are built for them by desperate municipalities and when one facility outlives its usefulness, the owner either nags to get a new one built, or he threatens to move the team. Microsoft inspires much loathing, but never has Mr. Gates demanded the people of Washington State provide him with facilities built at taxpayer expense.

Yet baseball for DC hung by a thread over the week-end. Council Chair Linda Cropp wanted half the financing for the new stadium that must be built for the team to come from the private sector. This threw a spanner into the works of the deal. A half billion dollar stadium built with city bonds backed by a new stadium tax and higher sales tax was the original plan – the team would also pay rent, but as anyone who follows the adventures of George Steinbrenner and the Yankees can attest, teams only pay what they want to pay, if and when they are forced to do so. The MLB crew actually called Ms. Cropp’s proviso "wholly unacceptable" and halted all marketing, going so far as to offer refunds to season ticket holders.

However, unreason prevailed. Ms. Cropp decided to be flexible and withdrew her demand for 50% private funding. Instead, the mayor will pursue private financing, and if that doesn’t materialize, then the city will pony up the dough. If the stadium deal were such a good investment, though, no public money would be needed. The private sector would take 100% of the deal, and it would be over-subscribed. The soaking of the taxpayers continues. Compare this to the radical idea proposed to New Jersey by the New York Giants football team. The Giants will agree to build a new stadium in the Meadowlands with their own money on one condition -- they get to keep all the profits. Well, isn't that how it's supposed to work?

© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

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