Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994 TAG: 9402240218
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ANNAPOLIS, MD. LENGTH: Medium
"I intend to build Redskins stadium in Laurel - come hell or high water - if the governor helps or hinders me," Cooke said in a statement.
The Cooke statement apparently was released in response to a story in The (Baltimore) Sun on Wednesday in which he was quoted as saying he likely would abandon plans to build in Laurel if an NFL team moves to Baltimore.
Cooke advisers spent much of Wednesday downplaying The Sun story, insisting the Redskins owner was misunderstood.
But the governor, at an early evening news conference, said Cooke's reported comments to the newspaper indicated that the team owner was getting frustrated.
"Mr. Cooke is getting mad," the governor said. "It's not scaring me to death, by the way."
Cooke has proposed building a $160 million, 78,600-seat stadium in Laurel. His plans call for the Redskins to pay for construction of the stadium itself, but Cooke has suggested he might seek state help in funding roadways and sewers necessary for the project.
Schaefer has refused to offer state help for the Laurel stadium until Cooke promises to support the governor's effort to lure an existing NFL franchise to Baltimore.
Cooke has expressed reluctance about locating his team in Maryland if there was a chance that another NFL team would be playing in Baltimore, 15 miles north of Laurel.
Cooke reportedly has sought legislation that would remove funding for a Baltimore stadium, an action that would, as a practical matter, end any chance the city has of landing a team.
Schaefer also restated Wednesday his belief that Cooke was instrumental in sabotaging Baltimore's efforts to win one of two NFL expansion teams that were up for grabs last fall.
WBAL-TV reported Wednesday night that Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos was in Tampa this week, where he made a $200 million offer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, Cooke's representatives and Schaefer's top economic development official met privately for nearly two hours with legislative leaders in an apparent attempt to end the impasse.
Cooke this week sparked talk of a possible compromise when he told a top legislator that he would not interfere with the governor's effort to bring a team to Baltimore, if the Schaefer administration would promise to support Cooke's efforts to build in Laurel.
After their meeting Wednesday, legislative leaders declined to comment on whether any final agreement was reached, but they said further meetings are expected soon.
Schaefer said he had not been briefed on the meeting but indicated that Cooke's promise not to interfere wasn't enough.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB