You Gotta Know When To Hold ‘Em

Linda Cropp called baseball’s bluff and we have a team again--for now.

Signs over the weekend indicated that MLB wasn’t opposed to private financing so much as the provision in the stadium bill that would’ve yanked funding had the private financing goals not been met, despite their tough rhetoric.

With the whole deal teetering on the brink of collapse, Cropp and Mayor Williams agreed on a financing package that retains the request for 50% public financing and a reduction of the city’s risk for cost overruns and late-construction penalties ($5.3 million as opposed to $19 million).

Cropp said the proposed changes could reduce the District's potential costs for the stadium by up to $193.5 million when compared with the deal Williams struck with baseball officials in September. She said she expects a council majority to approve the new agreement.

"The final legislation that will be presented tomorrow will offer the significantly lower costs and reduced risks to the District of Columbia that many of us said we were searching for," Cropp said last night.

Reached by phone in New York, Baseball President Robert A. DuPuy said last night: "We are very hopeful that by the end of the day tomorrow, legislation will be in place consistent with the baseball stadium agreement that will enable us to return Major League Baseball to Washington.

Reading between the lines, it doesn’t appear that much has changed, other than the elimination of that sunset clause. Everyone gets to walk away like a hero, I guess. Really, the biggest change is the private parking proposal, which the city is apparently going to go forward with, but that comes outside the direct framework of the bill. I guess I’m scratching my head and asking, was this all much ado about nothing?

Regardless of how we got here, it’s good to know that we’re back on the right path. Ball Wonk has even lowered the Home Team Security Level back down to yellow (Check that site out anyway to read about Cropp’s immunity to flaxseed oil)

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The Washington Times editorializes about Mayor Williams.

Thom Loverro discusses the deal and brings up something I mentioned yesterday--Catania and Fenty need to be held accountable for the schools and other problems.

Carpetbagger Sally Jenkins has apparently seen it all.