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EXPOS CLOSER TO KEEPING THEIR HOME ALONG THE ST. LAWRENCE

          Expos Chair Jacques Menard "sounded more cautionary"
     yesterday regarding MLB's approval of new team ownership,
     but "most people" speculate that an official announcement
     from MLB "would be made sometime near the end of August or
     in early September," according to Paul Cherry of the
     Montreal GAZETTE.  Menard: "No one is coming down from a
     mountain with a report.  I would call [MLB's] support
     generally positive.  But I'm not expecting them to come out
     today or this week with any blessing of the business plan." 
     Menard did confirm that a recent meeting with MLB
     Commissioner Bud Selig "produced the most positive signals
     yet for approval of the proposed ownership group and
     business plan," which would see N.Y.-based Jeffrey Loria
     replacing current President Claude Brochu.  Other "positive
     signs are that the Expos are close to signing contracts"
     with both Canada Lands for a land deal and a contract with
     the Quebec government for C$7-8M in annual debt-service
     costs for a new ballpark.  Cherry adds that "no one in the
     Expos organization is denying reports" that Montreal-based
     Axor Group won the "tentative contract" to build the new
     ballpark near the Molson Centre (Montreal GAZETTE, 8/11). 
          BLAIR'S SWITCH PROJECT: One source close to the deal
     tells the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL's Jeff Blair, "Something
     would pretty much have to come out of left field for this
     deal to not get done."  Brochu has given Menard and his
     group until September 30 to complete the deal regarding his
     C$15M stake or "risk having to renegotiate."  Blair adds
     that team officials hope to have the new ownership approved
     at the MLB owners meetings on September 15 and 16 and there
     "are suggestions" that former Owner Charles Bronfman, whose
     son Stephen is involved in the deal, "may be prepared to
     provide behind-the-scenes moral suasion" on other owners if
     necessary (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/11).  In Montreal, Jack Todd
     examines the role of Menard in the deal-making process. 
     Menard "apparently intends to sever his ties with the team
     as soon as the deal is complete" (Montreal GAZETTE, 8/11).

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