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The sad truth is that the city is going to be out millions and millions of dollars in this China Basin stadium deal. At this point, though, there probably isn't much that can be done about the swelling public tab of the "privately financed" baseball stadium.
Willie Brown has to make a deal to build a new Giants stadium. He just sold voters on providing $100 million in public financing toward a new $525 million mall and football stadium for Eddie DeBartolo. For that deal to go forward, the Giants, who share Candlestick with the 49ers, have to be able to build a new home at China Basin. So the Giants have all the negotiating power here, and the lease for the ballpark will most likely slide through the Board of Supervisors without significant modification.
The performance turned in this year by the 49ers' organization as it stumped for its $100 million football stadium subsidy was truly embarrassing and infuriating to watch. The team's cynical use of the race card, the threats, the refusal to answer well-intentioned questions -- all of these tactics lowered the standard for political debate in San Francisco substantially.
But we'd rather deal with DeBartolo and his bullies, any day of the week, than the sanctimonious hypocrisy -- the flat-out dishonesty -- of the Giants' ownership.
To get an idea of how badly the Giants have screwed the city on China Basin, consider this minor element of the proposed stadium lease. Let's say that, after granting all those millions of dollars in sub rosa subsidies to the owners of the new stadium, the city wants to use it for a special event -- an inauguration of Mayor Brown, say. The city can do it: if the San Francisco Giants are not in town -- and if the city pays the Giants the going rental rate for that privilege.
Chuck Finnie contributed to this column.
George Cothran (gcothran@SFWEEKLY.COM) AND JOHN MECKLIN (JMECKLIN@SFWEEKLY.COM) WELCOME TIPS, SUGGESTIONS, INNUENDO, AND COMPLAINTS. THEY CAN BE REACHED AT SF WEEKLY, ATTNo The Grid, 185 Berry, Lobby 4, Suite 3800, San Francisco,
