Owners of the newly constructed Nationals baseball stadium continue to refuse to pay $3.5 million in rent for a period of time last spring.
The Lerner family refuses to pay the multi-million dollar rent on the establishment until construction is complete. They cited problems with the sound system and scoreboard lighting, according to The Washington Post.
With the stadium not generating the anticipated tax revenue, the District is now paying for the project with a special business tax for debt service, NBC 4 reported.
"The stadium for purposes of use as a ballpark obviously was complete," D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, D, told the Post. "It's been universally well received as a venue, which is just first-class. We did what we were supposed to do, so to be in this kind of debate is frankly shocking."
The dispute may not reach resolution until early next year, when the family's second rent payment is due, some officials told the Post.
-MAUREEN McCARTY
