Press Release For Immediate Release December 23, 2004 CFO's Office Seeks Private Financing Plans for District's New Baseball Stadium (Washington, DC) Today, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) took the next important step in bringing baseball back to the nation's capital by issuing the "Plan Submission Request For Private Financing For The Baseball Stadium," which seeks innovative private financing plans for the development and construction of the District's new ballpark. "I am pleased that the formal process for reviewing proposals has been put into place," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "Working closely with the OCFO and the Council, we will try to find workable measures to infuse private financing into the ballpark project." As part of the process of passing the legislation that would enable the return of Major League Baseball to the District, the Council passed the Private or Alternative Stadium Financing Emergency Act of 2004. Under that Act, the OCFO will seek and review submissions for proposed financing. Submissions must provide for a substantial reduction in the minimum annual amount of gross receipts fees required to be collected for the baseball stadium and the principal amount of bonds that the District of Columbia would otherwise need to issue. Financing plans are due by January 17, 2005. Further information is available from OCFO (select the link for "Baseball in the District" listed under "Information"). To get a copy of the Private Financing Plan Submission Request, contact John Ross, Senior Advisor, OCFO Office of Economic Development Finance, 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 400 South, Washington, DC, 20001 or call 202-727-7775. Evaluations will be completed by March 15, 2005. Note: This Request for Private Financing Plans does not create any legal obligation or liability on the part of the District of Columbia to any party who submits a financing plan. All plans will be considered proprietary business information.