Public-Private Partnership Sought For New D.C. Stadium

"D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said yesterday that he would support a public subsidy for a new professional soccer stadium if the team also invested in the project, stating that he opposed spending public money on the Washington Nationals' $611 million ballpark because the deal was too 'one-sided.'"

"Yet talk of a new stadium brought swift and divided reaction from residents, business leaders and activists, foreshadowing a replay of the protracted debate over the baseball stadium."

"On Wednesday, Fenty told D.C. Council members in a private meeting that he was considering using up to $20 million a year in excess tax money being raised for the Nationals' ballpark to fund $150 million in construction bonds for a soccer stadium. The city also would lease 11 acres, valued by administration officials at $40 million, to United, bringing the public subsidy to $190 million."

"'No one ever said there could not be public dollars' for baseball, said Fenty, who voted against the baseball package as a council member. 'We said it had to be a fair deal. The baseball deal was completely one-sided. I would never support a deal that is 100 percent city-funded. I would support a deal that is a public-private partnership. Have we seen that deal yet? No.'"