The Orioles "won an early round" during the first day
of an arbitration hearing on the team's quest to have its
lease with the MD Stadium Authority revised to achieve
"parity" with the Ravens' when arbitrators allowed the
Orioles to present a "behind-the-scenes look" at the lease
negotiations, according to Jay Apperson of the Baltimore
SUN. The decision will boost the team's plea to arbitrators
to change their lease to include "millions in rent
discounts," the construction of more skyboxes and the right
to sell the name to Oriole Park (Baltimore SUN, 11/30). In
DC, Maureen O'Hagan writes that the panel presiding over the
arbitration includes former FBI Dir and federal judge
William Webster, and attorneys Neil Levy and Alan Anderson.
Citing an "11-item list that he says shows the Orioles got a
lousy deal," former impeachment counsel for President
Clinton and Oriole attorney David Kendall said, "The
question is one of equity and fairness." Meanwhile, MD
Stadium Authority attorney George Beall, who called some of
the team's demands "greedy and foolish," replied, "They have
no complaint of being disadvantaged." Beall also said that
the Orioles are "demanding" an off-site training facility
"even though they already have practice fields below the
park." Beall: "[Orioles Owner Peter] Angelos wanted a
football team too, he's been (mad) ever since [the Ravens
got their deal]" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/30).
