Officials defend severance pay, bidding practices

Maryland Stadium Authority officials vigorously defended themselves to legislators reviewing an audit that accused them of making noncompetitive bids, granting excessive severance pay ? $104,000 in one case ? and failing to collect $1.7 million in back rent from the Orioles.

Delegates on a House appropriations subcommittee were particularly critical of the apparent lack of a policy on granting severance by the 20-year-old independent authority, which owns and operates the stadiums for the Orioles and Ravens, as well other sports and entertainment venues.