"Leadership Void Keeps Stadium Deal Up in the Air" is an analysis piece in Saturday's Post discussing the "three mayors"--Williams, Cropp, and Barry--and how the stadium lease agreement has gotten so mucked up.

More non-stadium news! I've got a tidbit or two on the Capitol Hill Tower project, as it heads toward the finish line. The Courtyard by Marriott hotel that makes up the southern portion of the block is anticipating an opening date of March, 2006 (I'll let you know when reservations start being accepted). Also, the site's developers are working on filling the 9,000 sq ft of ground floor retail that's available--a drycleaners has already been lined up, and there are hopes that a restaurant can be brought in as well. I've added a new rendering of the Courtyard elevation along L Street to my Capitol Hill Tower page--and I'm embarrassed at how the photos on that page are getting way out of date, I'm going to do some mammoth photography sessions next week, I promise. UPDATE: And I also hear that an on-site Sales Center for the residential/co-ops side of the project will be opening soon. The residences are supposed to open sometime in the second quarter of 2006. UPDATE II: And coffee lovers will rejoice to hear that there's also going to be a mini-Starbucks counter in the lobby of the hotel!

It's an opinion column, not a news story, so make of it what you will, but the Examiner's Harry Jaffe has a Friday column telling Nats boosters not to fear, that there will be a stadium lease agreement, mainly because there's too much money in it, for all sides. He says that the developers who have signed on to build the Ballpark District "will step in to save the day, if necessary. [..] I am banking on the developers because, over the long run, they stand to make the most money from the stadium deal. They have the most to lose if it craters. Developers already have agreed to kick in as much as $20 million for infrastructure costs. They are in negotiations to relieve the city of the most egregious part of the lease: cost overruns."