Baseball Back in DC

 Almost 33 years later, baseball is set to come back in DC. Just one week after the city mourned the apparent loss of baseball, the deal between DC and Major League Baseball was rejuvenated on Tuesday as Council voted 7-6 to approve stadium funding legislation.

The new legislation allows the city to sell up to $584 million in bonds for the construction of a 41,000-seat stadium a mile south of the Capitol and for renovations to RFK Stadium, where the Nationals will play in 2005.

The final legislation calls for the city and baseball to split the cost of insurance that would limit the city’s liability on cost overruns or construction delays. It also reduces compensatory damages for the first year if the stadium is finished late.

Instead, the Nationals wouldn’t have to pay $5.3 million in rent if the ballpark isn’t ready for the 2008 season and the team has to remain at RFK.

The official Washington Nationals merchandise store reopened for ticket and merchandise sales on Wednesday, December 22 in a heated trailer in the RFK Stadium parking lot.