Expos moving to D.C.

All information has been compiled from The Associated Press and The Washington Post

Major League Baseball has decided on the District of Columbia as the new home for the ex-Montreal Expos, reports The Associated Press.

According to the AP, D.C. is set to officially announce the decision "at a downtown location Wednesday afternoon." An agreement with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos has not been completed, as chief operating officer Bob DuPuy is reportedly still "attempting to negotiate a compensation arrangement with Angelos." However the league is not obligated to compensate Angelos before deciding on the move.

As of Tuesday night, the "30-page document that would conditionally award the Expos to Washington, pending approval by the City Council" had not yet been signed, according to the AP.

While there were many supporters from D.C. for the move, the financing proposal bought forth by the District is not a sure thing- if ticket sales are not at an appropriate level, the District will need to use tax money to finish paying for the stadium. The RFK Stadium will undergo a "$13 million refurbishment" and the new ballpark is slated to cost "slightly over $400 million… along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city," according to the AP.

Selling tickets may be a challenge for the Expos, as they have lost their upper-tier players due to the salary restrictions placed upon them in recent years, and they are now one of the worst teams in the league. The Expos only have promising youngsters and do not look as if they will be competitive force anytime soon, according to a recent column by Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post .

The return of baseball to D.C. has been sought with enthusiasm after the Washington Senators relocated to Texas (now the Texas Rangers) 33 years ago. The last Senators game was a forfeit as "fans seeking souvenirs went on the RFK Stadium field" while the Senators were ahead of the Yankees 7-5 on September 30, 1971, according to The Associated Press.