Robert A. DuPuy, President and COO
Major League Baseball
Letter to Mayor Anthony Williams and Chairman Linda Cropp
November 29, 2005

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ROBERT A. DuPUY
President & Chief Operating Officer

VIA FACSIMILE & OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

November 29, 2005

Dear Mayor Williams and Chairman Cropp:

All of us are pleased at the reception which has been given to the Washington Nationals team by the baseball fans of your community. This fan support, accompanied by the competitive play of the club during 2005 and the widespread interest in the club's new ballpark creates high excitement and anticipation for he 2006 season.

However as this year approaches its end, we are growing increasingly concerned about the District's ability to meet the agreed-upon December 31, 2005 deadline, by which date a number of critical tasks in the Baseball Stadium Agreement must be completed. This is the date by which the City and the Washington Nationals agreed that the Ballpark Lease and the Construction Administration Agreement would be completed. It is also the date by which the City promised it would be in control of a buildable site and it is the date by which the District's funding for the ballpark must b in hand.

With just one month to go, none of these tasks have been completed. If the December 31 deadline is missed, it is highly Iikely that other key milepost dates in the Baseball Stadium Agreement will also be in jeopardy. Our chief concern, and one that we know that you share, is that the District's promise to the people of the District of Columbia to have a stadium ready in the spring of 2008 will not be honored. The Washington Nationals and its fans should not have to suffer delays in the completion of critical and agreed-upon tasks required for the game to once again be fully enjoyed by baseball fans in the District of Columbia community. Washington D.C. is a first- rate city with first-rate fans who deserve a ballpark that's first-rate and on-time

The timeline we jointly agreed upon in the Baseball Stadium Agreement was reasonable and was designed to ensure a new stadium could open in 2008. We need to meet the established benchmarks along the way. Failure to meet the very first key requirement does not bode well for our long-term success.

The implications of failure to complete the lease by December 31, 2005 are significant and will inevitably lead to disillusionment of baseball fans in your community. They will rightly wonder if all of the promises made in connection with your successful bid in the competition to serve as the new home of this franchise will be honored. We expect the District to honor its promises and to complete this work on time. We stand ready to work with you to ensure that the terms and conditions of the Bas ball Stadium Agreement are met for the benefit of the fans of the District of Columbia.

Very truly yours,
Robert A. DuPuy
President & COO