Smulyan Investors Tout Local Ties In Washington Times Op/Ed

Investors In Smulyan’s Nationals Bid Group Tout Diversity, Local Ties

Former NFLers Calvin Hill, Charles Mann and Art Monk and DC-based Covington & Burling attorney Eric Holder Jr. — members of Jeffrey Smulyan’s group bidding for the Nationals — write in an Op/Ed in today’s WASHINGTON TIMES: “We are repeatedly baffled and amazed at the description of the Lerner, [Malek-Zients] and Smulyan groups as two ‘local’ groups and the ‘Smulyan’ group. We are, without question and by any standard, a most local group. Furthermore, we are the only group that made a serious commitment to diversity. ... This group has more African American equity investment than any other team in [MLB].” They add, “There are more than a dozen of us [in Smulyan’s group]. We have deep roots in this town. Many were born here. We work here. We own businesses here. We have held public office here, and we have given of our time to make the city better, safer and healthier. ... We have raised our families here, and some of us are fifth-generation Washingtonians” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/20).

DECISION COMING: In DC, Thom Loverro cites a source as saying “there is a lot of pressure from Washington” for MLB to award the Nationals to the Malek-Zients group. But Loverro writes, “Washington pressure is not the same as District pressure, and ironically [MLB Commissioner Bud Selig] is getting pressure from some DC Council members to pick the once-perceived outsider, Smulyan. The feeling is that the rest of his investment group ... has the strongest combination of a District presence and minority representation” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/20).