The decision of the Ravens to seek less money through permanent seat licenses than originally envisioned will save fans money but will cost the Maryland Stadium Authority $5 million it was counting on to help build the stadium.
The team's agreement with the state limited the amount of money that could be raised through seat licenses to $80 million, and specified that the last $5 million would go toward the cost of building the $200 million stadium project.
Under the plan outlined yesterday, the Ravens will raise a maximum of $68 million in seat licenses and will not have to pay any of it to the stadium authority.
Stadium authority chairman John Moag said he will have to make cuts somewhere in the project or find savings to make up the difference, but he said he is not worried.
"We will make it work with what we have," Moag said. He will not ask for more money from the legislature, he said.
Del. Robert L. Flanagan, a Howard County Republican and a leader of the anti-stadium forces in the General Assembly session that adjourned in April, said, "I think that's just another example of the lack of diligence on the part of the governor and stadium authority.
"Maybe they have a slush fund or something over there that will make that up," he said.
The team has agreed to contribute $24 million to stadium construction in some manner over the 30 years of its lease but the terms have not been worked out.
Del. Howard P. Rawlings, a key stadium supporter in the legislature, downplayed the state's apparent loss of $5 million from the project's construction budget.
"They'll probably find the $5 million in savings in the project," said Rawlings, a Baltimore Democrat.
Del. Michael E. Busch, chairman of the House Economic Matters Committee and a supporter of the stadium, submitted a bill that would have required the team to turn over the first $5 million raised in seat licenses.
That element of the bill was opposed by the team and did not survive.
"They had testified that the $5 million would be used to help construct the stadium. They will have to make it up somehow," Busch said. "I think there will be some questions."
He said he was happy for the savings that fans would enjoy, however.
Pub Date: 5/17/96
