In Seattle, the Mariners' decision to take the team off
the market after the past month's stadium negotiations led
to a new agreement, was examined by two columnists. POST-
INTELLIGENCER Columnist Art Thiel: "Ownership's abrupt,
untelegraphed decision to sell, its refusal to talk except
through surrogates [M's CEO John] Ellis and [U.S. Senator]
Slade Gorton, the unyielding position on every issue until
near the end, and the rigid deadlines that were oblivious to
the needs of the public entities, have outraged not only
sports critics but people who have been on baseball's side.
... Strong-arm tactics may work for Microsoft and other
corporations in the business world. But when it comes to
building a public project with mostly public money, the
owners' approach was an unconscionable way to do business.
The owners have burned up virtually all the goodwill built
over five years of successful stewardship of a local
institution that was teetering upon the abyss until they
came to the rescue" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 1/16).
Columnist Steve Kelley of the SEATTLE TIMES: "The charade
was played to perfection. They shed a few tears. They
planted new fears, and the Mariners got the stadium they
wanted. ... The Mariners got it all" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/15).
