Cuomo Wants State to Buy the Yankees
Gov. Mario M. Cuomo said today that if George Steinbrenner has to sell the New York Yankees, he wants New York to be first in line to buy the team.
“I suspect that it is eminently financeable--for the state and the city,” Cuomo said. “You could even sell bonds.”
“He does not want to sell,” Cuomo said of Steinbrenner. “He’ll do anything to avoid that and I hope he can. . . . But if he decided to sell, I wish he would come to us.”
Cuomo said to “forget the details,” such as who would run the team or whether voter approval would be needed to sign free agents.
The governor said a major league team would be a great investment.
“They make an average of what, a 35% profit?” Cuomo said. “The best investment you could make is a franchise.”
The Yankees owner is being investigated by Commissioner Fay Vincent for his involvement with gambler Howard Spira. Steinbrenner said on Thursday that he would not sell the team, even if Vincent suspends him from baseball.
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