Nats Lose First Battle Over New Stadium

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals have lost their first battle at the new stadium, or at least the first battle over the new stadium.

Since last summer, the team and the District have been in arbitration over who is required to pay for ancillary items at the new stadium, such as golf carts, fork lifts, and medical and office equipment.

On Wednesday, a three-member arbitration panel unanimously voted in favor of the District, saving the city $4.2 million.

Bill Hall with the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission tells WTOP the decision helps to keep the stadium costs within the $611 million price cap.

"We are very happy with the decision because it saves the sports commission $4.2 million dollars in furniture, fixture and equipment costs that the Nationals claimed we owed, and it further ensures that the new ballpark will remain within the cost cap established by the D.C. Council," Hall says.

The District did make some concessions.

As part of the ruling, D.C. will have to pay the Nationals $1.4 million for items such as plumbing, air conditioning and a special bird net.

Hall says that money was budgeted for a long time ago.

"The net gain is $4.2 million. The amount that we are paying has been included in the budget so it has no impact on the cost cap."

Early on in the negotiations, the team had asked the city to pay for team uniforms as part of the fixtures of the stadium. That request never reached the final arbitration process, but an another uniform request did. The Nationals unsuccessfully argued that D.C. should pay for the uniforms for the stadium security guards.

While the decision settles one dispute, another face off may be looming. The stadium lease agreement requires the stadium be substantially complete by Opening Day.

Hall says he hopes the team doesn't raise this issue.

"Whether there are disputes over that remains to be seen," Hall says.

The lease requires the stadium to be "substantially completed, meaning that the stadium is ready for a Certificate of Occupancy to be issued, and it will be," Hall says.

The certificate is expected to be issued within the next few weeks.

(Copyright 2008 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)