Since they're having problems getting a new stadium, I think it's almost time to start discussing relocation possibilities for the Nationals.

AO

Presumably, even the $700 million figure is an underestimate, since further delays and cost overruns are inevitable in this situation.

The good thing about this is, the stadium was always going to end up costing much more than $535 million, but now that fact has been laid out in real numbers for the public before the deal is signed and done. Whether any deal is eventually reached or not, whether baseball remains in DC or not... the price tag has now been made clear ahead of time.

So... the city can't afford a Waterfront stadium; RFK is a silly place to build a new yard; getting sufficient land in NOVA is essentially impossible unless you go out to Dulles or farther; and yet no other potential host city in the country is nearly as attractive a market.

Contraction, anyone?

I wonder whether the city might consider raiding DC United's stadium plan and putting the Nats into the Poplar Point space instead?

The soccer stadium proposal is on pages 29 and 31 of this file:

DC United stadium complex proposal

It's affordable for a smaller organization like DC United because the land is being acquired via a swap between the Feds and the DC government. It would therefore save money vis-a-vis the Waterfront development.

On the flip side, DC has already bought most of the Waterfront property, so maybe the cost savings wouldn't be substantial. And I'd hate to see United get screwed out of the plan they've worked on for the last couple of years.

Las Vegas Expo Marlin Twins of Nevada

Somewhere, the Expo fans are laughing.

I'll be posting more on this tomorrow, but the figures are based on "the kitchen sink". That is, anything and everything, including areas that had been getting cut out. This would include things like underground VIP parking and an expanded Metro stop.

That doesn't mean that the cost will be $701-$714 million, but rather what it would be if all the bells and whistles come with.

Somewhere, the Expo fans are laughing.

Some Expo fans. For my part, while I laugh at the likes of Boswell when he starts complaining about how the Bewigged Satan is treating the franchise and DC baseball fans, I regard the stadium saga differently.

Hopefully, other communities will look at what is happening here and instead of competing vainly for the chance to create their own version of the Big Owe, will offer baseball the same kind of deal that Miami and Montréal have: You want a new stadium, you have to pay for a lot of it. Then the relocation madness will end.

Somewhere, the Expo fans are laughing

Not at D.C. baseball fans though. I feel badly for them just as I do Marlins' fans. but to Selig and Co....

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Bud Selig were a litterbox I'd feed my cat nothing but Ex-Lax.

Best Regards

John

Hey I got a radical idea. Why don't the owners of the team pay for the stadium instead of getting welfare from the government?