NC Triad companies "are pouring thousands" of dollars
into the campaign to pass the May 5 baseball referendum,
while opponents to the bill are "relying mainly on
restaurants and individual citizens for money," according to
John Nagy of the Greensboro NEWS & RECORD. Campaign finance
reports released Friday showed that "Vote Yes For [MLB]" has
raised more than $716,000, while "Citizens Against Unfair
Taxes" has reported "almost" $26,000 in contributions. In
addition, the "Vote Yes!" group has "more than" $322,000 on
hand for the campaign's final ten days, while "Citizens
Against" has $1,861 available. Recent polls show that
despite the difference in funds, "opposition to the May 5
baseball vote still outpaces support" (NEWS & RECORD, 4/6).
Prospective Twins Owner Don Beaver had hoped to have the
Twins situation settled by now in order to "dangle the team
in front of voters," but negotiations with Twins Owner Carl
Pohlad "have dragged on." But Beaver Sports Properties VP
Tim Newman said that his group was "optimistic about the
referendum" (Chip Alexander, Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 4/26).
TWIN-KIES: Pohlad said that he was "shocked" by MN's
"lack of interest" in keeping the Twins. Pohlad: "Nobody
talks to me about keeping the Twins here" (Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, 4/26)....In MN, Jay Weiner examines the legal
implications in last week's ruling in MN that forces the
Twins and MLB to answer MN's Attorney General's questions
about a possible move to NC. Legal experts contend the
decision "will likely force baseball's lawyers to proceed
cautiously, what with the game's long-standing and unique
antitrust exemption in the balance" (STAR TRIBUNE, 4/27).
