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 More Nationals NewsNationals LinksReversing course, the Washington, D.C., city council early Wednesday approved a new stadium lease with Major League Baseball that caps the city's project costs at $610.8 million, easing a threat that the Washington Nationals could move elsewhere. New language inserted into an emergency measure sparked a ninth-inning rally of support for the project, allowing the lease to pass by a 9-4 vote, hours after the council rejected it 8-5. The council chairman called for a second vote to consider changes. Among key provisions were limits for construction costs at $300 million and for ?soft costs,? such as design and financing, at $175.2 million. It specifies that any cost overruns above the caps shall be paid by the team owner, the federal government or other non-District of Columbia entities. ?It's not the best deal, but it's a better deal,? said D.C. Council Chairman Linda Cropp, who pushed to win passage for the lease throughout a marathon 15-hour council meeting. ?Major League Baseball did not get an open checkbook,? she added. |
