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D.C. Peeved as Nats Look at National Harbor Hotel

BY TRAINING THEIR EYES OUTSIDE the District border, the Nationals are again irking D.C. officials who footed the bill for the team's $611 million South Capitol Street ballpark.

Back in November, the Nationals announced that that team's annual "Dream Gala" would be hosted at National Harbor's Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. Now, as The Post's Nikita Stewart reports, Photo by Michael Williamson/The Washington Postthe Nats and Gaylord are "negotiating a deal to feature the baseball team at the new development in Prince George's County through a sports bar, store and possibly the title of 'Official Hotel of the Washington Nationals,' sources said yesterday."

The situation has reignited a debate over whether the Washington Nationals are a team for D.C. or the entire Washington region. Some D.C. officials have said that since the District paid for the stadium, the city should play host to the team's off-the-field events, not the suburbs.

Nationals President Stan Kasten, pictured here, contends that the team is a regional one, and says it has the right to build its fan base at events and with promotions in Maryland and Virginia. The team already has plans for a fans festival in Bethesda.

» "No Joy in D.C. Over Word of Team Deal With Prince George's Hotel" [WaPo]
» EARLIER: "Nationals' Events in Maryland Anger D.C." [WaPo]

Photo by Michael Williamson/The Washington Post

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COMMENTS (2)

  • the team is owned by people who don't really care about the city itself (yeah, blah blah, lerner was born in DC), and it shows. it doesn't sting as much as it could knowing that we're going to vacuum up tax revenues from the suburbanites. come, spend your money, then get home before you turn into a pumpkin. kthxbai.

    By IMGoph , Posted January 8, 2008 11:29 AM

  • yeah! Let's have a crowded stadium with lots of people from all over the region. What a great idea!

    Poo on District-based journalists who try to make a story out of nothing and Poo District based politicians who seize upon the silly to score easy points.

    More stories about fixing DC schools, more stories about ending corruption downtown, more stories about fixing the Anacostia

    By Phil , Posted January 8, 2008 5:22 PM
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