Well that title was a little too long.

 

D.C. stadium deal could profit son of White Sox's Reinsdorf  

Dec 9, 2004

SportsLine.com wire reports     

 

WASHINGTON -- A company run by the son of Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf could earn millions providing consultant services to the District of Columbia government on plans for development of a baseball stadium project.

 

International Facilities Group is a leading contender for a $3.7 million contract.

 

Michael Reinsdorf is the managing partner and co-founder of IFG, which was established in 1995. The firm provides management and development services to municipalities and professional sports owners.

 

The Washington Post reported Thursday that over the past nine years IFG has been involved in the development of several major-league ballparks, including Comerica Park in Detroit, Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, the Florida Marlins Baseball Stadium in Miami and Miller Park in Milwaukee.

 

The firm also has provided services on the development of non-baseball projects in San Antonio, Denver and Indianapolis.

 

But some members of the D.C. Council, which takes a final vote Tuesday on the $531 million stadium finance package, have expressed concern about a potential conflict of interest involving the Reinsdorfs.

 

Councilman Adrian M. Fenty, an opponent of the baseball deal, raised questions about Jerry Reinsdorf's role as head of Major League Baseball's relocation committee. That panel recommended that the Expos be moved to Washington from Montreal beginning with the 2005 season.

 

The recommendation was conditionally ratified by baseball owners during a telephone conference call Friday. Approval was conditioned on enactment of legislation to authorize financing consistent with the agreement signed in September by the Expos and Washington mayor Anthony A. Williams.

 

"Jerry Reinsdorf is an extremely wealthy businessperson only interested in making money," Fenty told the newspaper. "The fact that we somehow are preparing to possibly hire one of his family members makes the deal that much more bothersome and troubling."

 

IFG has already provided some services to the district government for the renovation of RFK Stadium where the new Washington Nationals would play through at least the 2007 season. According to district officials, MLB has paid the company about $100,000 for work related to the RFK project.

 

Chris Bender, a spokesman for Williams, said in an e-mail to the paper that IFG's role has included representing the needs of MLB on matters like the reconfiguration of seating at RFK, which has not been used regularly for baseball in more than three decades.

 

"For RFK, they're representing MLB's interests in the redesign of the stadium," Bender wrote.

 

Officials in other cities familiar with IFG's work have praised the company's expertise in stadium design and management.

 

Mike Duckett, executive director of Milwaukee's Miller Park Stadium District, said the firm helped resolve potential disputes between Wisconsin officials and Brewers management when that ballpark was being built.

 

"They did a good job explaining to the Brewers that something they were asking for was not reasonable or that they were asking for too much," Duckett said.

 

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

 

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved 

"Jerry Reinsdorf is an extremely wealthy businessperson only interested in making money," Fenty told the newspaper. "The fact that we somehow are preparing to possibly hire one of his family members makes the deal that much more bothersome and troubling."

:headshake :headshake :headshake

 

:fyou Reinsy

:headshake  :headshake  :headshake

 

:fyou Reinsy

Geesh. And of course Selig signs off on all of this without a thought :rolly

A businessman concerned with making money! LMAO ... Crime of the Century :headshake

Geesh.  And of course Selig signs off on all of this without a thought :rolly

Selig gets off in my book just because he's a complete pud. Jerry knows what he is doing.

There is nothing shaky about that at all. It's not like this is their first job ever. A guy is allowed to make a living regardless of his last name.

 

If the company were not legit or they were using mob type intimidation to get a contract, I'd have a problem with it. This just sounds like it is something being conjured up by a politician who didn't want baseball there in the first place.

 

I actually find it ironic that a politician is standing up and questioning the legitimacy of the deal.