Stadium blah blah Funding blah blah Cropp blah blah

Mayor Williams is looking at renegotiating certain aspects of the agreement with baseball after the narrow Council vote this week.

Chief among the issues is the city's desire to have access to the park for more than twelve days. That may be good, but what are they going to do there? It's not like they can put down a basketball court or bring in the monster trucks. If DC really needs a stadium for a concert, they can go to RFK and rip up the soccer field. (Awaiting angry soccer fan emails.)

Another big hangup is that the city would be on the hook for damages if the stadium wasn't ready in time. Given the requirement for union-only contracts, that might be a dangerous provision. (Awaiting angry pro-labor emails.)


A different article details some business relief with the tax that passed. Some businesses aren't quite so happy:

Dudley Dworken, president of Curtis Chevrolet-Kia, said the District ballpark tax would put him at a disadvantage to suburban auto dealers. He said he is inclined to pay for the fee by tacking it onto the bill for each car he sells; he estimated that it would amount to $75 per car.

Some would say that that's the penalty you should have to pay for buying a Kia. (Awaiting angry happy-Kia-owner emails.) (Wait? ARE there happy Kia owners??)

In the Times, Eric Fisher reads the tea leaves (or maybe plays with animal bones?) and says that the final vote in a few weeks will not be as close.

He also says that Bud Selig will be making his first apperance in the city today, speaking at a rubber chicken luncheon. That would explain the unusual chill in the air...

And finally.... Tom Knott discusses the necessary evil that is the stadium bill.