WTOP'S ASK THE GOVERNOR Virginia Governor Mark Warner with Bruce Allen

Tuesday, January 28, 2003 19:00

Bruce Allen: I'm Bruce Allen, and we go to Arlington now. Lawrence, good morning, you're on with Governor Warner.

"Lawrence": Good morning, and thanks for taking my call. I was of course very intrigued to see the Montreal Expos may be relocating sometime soon. And wanted to know, Mr. Governor, if you'd be able to outline Virginia's case for baseball. And then what is your take, do you think this region might expect to see a team by 2004?

Bruce Allen: It's a big week for Virginia Baseball.

Governor Warner: Yes, it's a big week. The short answer is "Yes." I do think that the region - Northern Virginia, my hope, Washington second - in my mind, clearly ahead of Portland and some of the other communities, and I think the region is going to get a baseball team - or is well-positioned to. I strongly support Virginia's effort to bring baseball back to the National Capital Region.

Bruce Allen: Now, the D.C. group is making a presentation today?

Governor Warner: The D.C. group is making a presentation today. The Virginia group is making a presentation tomorrow. The Virginia group is - because the legislature is in session, I'm not going to be able to attend tomorrow's session. And then there's going to be a full formal presentation sometime later, in March, and I hope to definitely go to that one. Part of the Virginia delegation, though, includes my Secretary of Commerce. It also includes our Attorney General, Jerry Kilgore, the ranking Republican state official. So it shows bipartisan support for bringing baseball to Northern Virginia. And there's been a number of reasons why I support this. One, I think it would be good for the region. I think it would help us with the overall identity, particularly for Northern Virginia. It would give us, finally, a Major League team in Virginia, which I strongly support. It also, I believe, would have a pro-economic impact. Actually Stephen Fuller, the economist, recently did a study that indicated it would generate about $20 million in additional tax revenue. A $220 million economic impact. I think that's the correct figure. On top of that, I believe it would - we are well-positioned in Northern Virginia, because unlike the other jurisdictions - whether it's the District, whether it's Portland, whether it's Charlotte - we have in place at least part of the financing package that we passed back, actually, under Governor Allen and Governor Gilmore - legislation was passed that would create a baseball stadium funding authority, that would not take funds - let me make clear - not take funds from the general fund. Especially during these tough economic times, there would be no support for taking dollars from the general fund, for baseball, or for any other sport. But it would set up a stadium authority that would allow those taxes that would come directly from baseball, or the baseball players - that would generate a revenue stream that would help pay off bonds to pay for a portion of the stadium. Our approach is to have state support, owner support, private support, and maybe even a local government-public-private-type partnership. We think we've got a very, very strong case to make, and I think the group tomorrow is going to do a good job, on the first level of presentation, and again, I hope to be there for the final pitch in March or April - whenever Baseball calls us back.

Bruce Allen: To your understanding, how much of the resistance of Major League Baseball to giving a team to this area is a result of concerns voiced by Orioles' owner Peter Angelos?

Governor Warner: Well, in this case I agree with new Governor Ehrlich. Governor Ehrlich in Maryland, who clearly said he thought the region could support two teams. We've had two teams in the area in the past. I think the idea of putting the team in Northern Virginia - as opposed to D.C. - would mitigate against the concerns that Peter Angelos and the Orioles might have. I think it would be a win for Major League Baseball. This is the biggest market in the country that doesn't have a Major League Baseball team. We've got the people, we've got the corporate support, we've got the business support, we've got the local support. And I hope we're successful. 23:00

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