phattonez
09-28-2004, 10:01 PM
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040929/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_expos_washington
WASHINGTON - Major League Baseball has chosen Washington, D.C. as the new home of the Montreal Expos (news), a city official told The Associated Press.
The Expos would begin playing in Washington next year at RFK Stadium, the former home of the Washington Senators. The Nation's Capital has been without a team since the Senators left for Texas after the 1971 season.
The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400 million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city.
A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major league owners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limited partners and possibly by Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, who objects to having a team just 40 miles from the Orioles. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, went to Baltimore on Friday to negotiate a compensation arrangement with Angelos.
The Orioles owner told The (Baltimore) Sun that he could be persuaded to drop his opposition if he could be assured that his team and the state of Maryland's investment in Oriole Park at Camden Yards could be protected.
"If those two goals can be accomplished, and I feel the franchise would be secure and the revenue stream is protected and the asset value is secure, it might be possible to make a deal," Angelos told The Sun for a story Tuesday.
After an announcement, the process of selling the Expos will start. A group that includes former Rangers partner Fred Malek has been seeking a Washington franchise for five years. In addition, several baseball officials have said in the past week that Stan Kasten, former president of the Atlanta Braves (news), Hawks and Thrashers, might be trying to assemble a group.
Kasten is close to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, which likely would be an advantage during the bidding process.
The original Washington Senators played 4,610 home games before becoming the Minnesota Twins (news) after the 1960 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The expansion Senators played 883 home games before moving to Texas.
In the Senators' last game, on Sept. 30, 1971, they led the New York Yankees (news) 7-5 with two outs in the ninth inning when fans seeking souvenirs went on the RFK Stadium field, which could not be cleared. The Yankees wound up winning the game in a forfeit.
The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.
Montreal's last home game is scheduled for Wednesday night against Florida. Monday's series opener drew a crowd of 3,923 to Olympic Stadium.
What do you guys think?
WASHINGTON - Major League Baseball has chosen Washington, D.C. as the new home of the Montreal Expos (news), a city official told The Associated Press.
The Expos would begin playing in Washington next year at RFK Stadium, the former home of the Washington Senators. The Nation's Capital has been without a team since the Senators left for Texas after the 1971 season.
The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400 million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city.
A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major league owners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limited partners and possibly by Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, who objects to having a team just 40 miles from the Orioles. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, went to Baltimore on Friday to negotiate a compensation arrangement with Angelos.
The Orioles owner told The (Baltimore) Sun that he could be persuaded to drop his opposition if he could be assured that his team and the state of Maryland's investment in Oriole Park at Camden Yards could be protected.
"If those two goals can be accomplished, and I feel the franchise would be secure and the revenue stream is protected and the asset value is secure, it might be possible to make a deal," Angelos told The Sun for a story Tuesday.
After an announcement, the process of selling the Expos will start. A group that includes former Rangers partner Fred Malek has been seeking a Washington franchise for five years. In addition, several baseball officials have said in the past week that Stan Kasten, former president of the Atlanta Braves (news), Hawks and Thrashers, might be trying to assemble a group.
Kasten is close to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, which likely would be an advantage during the bidding process.
The original Washington Senators played 4,610 home games before becoming the Minnesota Twins (news) after the 1960 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The expansion Senators played 883 home games before moving to Texas.
In the Senators' last game, on Sept. 30, 1971, they led the New York Yankees (news) 7-5 with two outs in the ninth inning when fans seeking souvenirs went on the RFK Stadium field, which could not be cleared. The Yankees wound up winning the game in a forfeit.
The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.
Montreal's last home game is scheduled for Wednesday night against Florida. Monday's series opener drew a crowd of 3,923 to Olympic Stadium.
What do you guys think?