Ace in the hole could save Nats

Online betting firm could rescue Washington's baseball deal

By MICHAEL ZITZ

Date published: 12/17/2004

By MICHAEL ZITZ

The city of Washington could still land the Montreal Expos if it plays its cards right.

EmpirePoker.com says it wants to ante up the $150 million in private funds the D.C. City Council is seeking for a Major League Baseball stadium. The Internet company claims it's willing to kick in up to $500 million.

In return, the online Texas Hold 'em poker Web site wants the new ballpark to be named EmpirePoker.com Stadium. And it wants online poker kiosks inside the ballpark.

Ron Burke, EmpirePoker.com's president of marketing in New York, insists this is not a publicity stunt.

"We have investors," he told The Free Lance-Star yesterday. "Poker is very hot.

"We know they're having problems getting the funds. It's a serious offer," Burke said.

Ronn Torossion, a spokesman for the offshore online casino based in Limassol, Cyprus, said it's a billion-dollar business with 60,000 players online during peak hours each day.

Those who have their doubts about EmpirePoker.com's seriousness could point to the fact that this is the second time in little more than a week the online poker site has been in the news. Last Friday, The Associated Press reported that in an online survey, 42 percent of the Web site's VIPs selected model-actress Pamela Anderson as the celebrity with whom they would most like to play poker.

The D.C. Council voted Tuesday to require at least 50 percent private financing before it commits to helping build a new baseball stadium for the former Montreal Expos. D.C. Councilman Jack Evans says the city is looking at about 20 possible private investors.

Without private money from some source, the District will lose the Washington Nationals. Baseball Chief Operating Officer Robert DuPuy said Wednesday MLB will relocate the Expos elsewhere unless D.C. keeps its promise of full stadium financing by Dec. 31.

"We're prepared to write a check," Burke said.

Baseball stadium naming rights for a 30-year period typically produce about $120 million.

Chris Bender, a spokesman for District Mayor Anthony Williams, said he couldn't discuss any investment possibilities. But he pointed out that baseball, not the District, owns the naming rights to a new D.C. ballpark under the current stadium agreement between MLB and the city.

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Date published: 12/17/2004