After being "faced with unexpectedly harsh community
opposition" for new stadiums for the Eagles and Phillies in
South Philadelphia, Mayor Ed Rendell said that he "would not
offer" stadium legislation before he left office, according
to Christopher Hepp of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, who
reports that a stadiums bill "would have had to have been
introduced" in City Council this week for the $800M project
"to have been acted upon" before Council session ends on
December 16. Eagles Exec VP Joe Banner: "[The] announcement
by the mayor was deeply disappointing and, frankly, very
shocking to us." Phillies President David Montgomery said,
"[We're] extremely disappointed." Philadelphia Mayor-elect
John Street said that he "intended to take up the stadiums
issue when he takes office" in January. Street: "I think
new stadiums are important to the city. I don't think they
are important at all costs." Hepp reports that the Eagles
"immediately stopped work" on their $30M training facility,
which was to be built "within the city limits as part of a
new stadium deal." Rendell said he was to blame for the
delay: "I should have gotten more personally involved
sooner" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/16). In Philadelphia,
Edward Moran writes that after yesterday's announcement, the
"long-term future" of the Eagles and Phillies "became a
clouded issue." Street said the stadium process will "start
all over again" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 11/16).
BAD TIMING: In Philadelphia, Salisbury & Sheridan write
that a "target date" of 2003 for a new Phillies ballpark
"could be unrealistic. And if the opening ... goes beyond
that, the team could face a number of headaches that could
potentially cripple the organization" (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 11/16). Also in Philadelphia, Bill Lyon writes
that the timing of the announcements "couldn't have been
more wretched" for the teams (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/16).
