Mayor Anthony Williams is confident that the District will land the Expos and is anxiously awaiting a “positive” call from Major League Baseball officials, a call that could come today. But the mayor tells WTOP that he doesn’t want to “jinx” the city’s prospects by being too confident.
Williams said that the District has a winning plan that is as close to a win-win situation for most people as possible. Businesses, not residents, would cover the costs, team owners would pay rent and low-income children would get free tickets. D.C. residents and minority contractors would be favored for stadium jobs.
Hold on, Williams tells a Post editorial board gathering that the deal isn’t 100 percent ideal: “Do I think it’s the ideal, optimal way to do business? No. … Of course, I would like some owner to come in and pay,” Williams told the Post. “But that’s the reality of the sports world.”
Virginia is also a big loser in the whole baseball deal. After putting forth a confident bid for a Dulles stadium, thier efforts came up short. The Post’s Metro columnist details how Northern Virginia flubbed their chances. Another loser, at least in his own eyes, is Peter Angelos of the Baltimore Orioles, who MLB officials are trying to win over. (We may be getting a regional sports network out of the deal, the Post reports.)
