"Bombers retain big guns for stadium lobby" The Crain's Insider, 6/6/6

The Yankees have hired Michael Rosetti and Bill Paxon of law firm Akin Gump Strauss Haur & Feld to lobby federal agencies for the approvals needed to build a Yankee Stadium.

Because federal money was used to repair Macombs Dam Park several years ago, the team must get an OK from the National Park Service to build the stadium on the park site. The Yankees must prove that they are replacing parkland with something of equal or fair market value and that the replacement facilities off reasonable equivalent recreational usefulness, say Micaela Birmingham, planning director for New Yorkers for Parks.

The Yankees had hoped to break ground on the stadium in April. Yankees President Randy Levine practices law in Akin Gump's midtown offices. Howard Rubenstein, a spokesman for the team, says the hire is part of an overall legal and public policy strategy.