By K. Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay says he supports the Cardinals' decision to fire the property financing group that had been searching for investors for a new ballpark.
It was revealed this week that Yaqub Mirza, a member of Property Funding Group, is being investigated by the federal government on suspicion of aiding terrorists. Slay says the city's background check of the company turned up nothing unusual but he blames PFG's president for not coming forward about Mirza from the beginning.
I am not happy that (neither) the city lawyers (n)or the Cardinals lawyers did not find this information, but I think what I'm most disturbed about is that Rick Gross didn't disclose it to the city and the Cardinals," Slay said. "I mean, that's what should have been done, so that would have avoided any of this.
The Cardinals say the stadium project is still on schedule, with an expected opening in April of 2006.