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).
