The Phillies have decided on Broad and Spring Garden
Streets for their new ballpark, according to sources of
Christopher Hepp of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Phillies
President David Montgomery "made his pitch" to Mayor Ed
Rendell and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp.
President William Hankowsky at a meeting Sunday. Montgomery
provided Rendell with the results of the team's studies of
building costs at several sites and Rendell was said to be
"noncommittal about the request for additional funds."
However, in recent weeks Rendell "has expressed a
willingness to consider more public money" for the Broad and
Spring Garden site. Rendell spokesperson Kevin Feeley: "We
have been party to a discussion of a whole range of issues.
We are not going to confirm any of the details." Broad and
Spring Garden Streets has been the Phillies' "first choice"
for a new ballpark, but the team "has been reluctant to
formally commit to the site." The state and city have
agreed to provide two-thirds of the cost of the $250M
ballpark, but the Broad and Spring Garden site price tag
could "be anywhere from" $25M to $80M more. Philadelphia
Newspapers Inc., publisher of the Inquirer and Daily News,
owns part of the property (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/18).
Also in Philadelphia, sources of Edward Moran say that "the
cost of the project is said to be about" $350M. Sources
added that the Phillies "have offered to pay more than the
one-third share" of a three-way split among the state, the
city and the team to build at the site. Also, the Phillies
reportedly told Mayor Rendell "they were seeking a potential
private investor" to help build parking garages at the
proposed site (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 5/18).
