Conner’s Group Seeks Arbitration in Dispute

Dennis Conner’s Sail America Foundation plans to take to arbitration its dispute with the San Diego Yacht Club over the makeup of the next America’s Cup site selection committee.

Sail America trustee John Marshall contended Saturday night that the club pulled a “cheap power play” in stacking the committee with San Diego people who would consider no other site for the next defense in 1990-91.

A contract between Sail America and the club, struck before the recent competition off Fremantle, Australia, stipulated that Sail America would submit a list of names from which the club would choose the committee, a simple majority of whom were to be members of the club.

However, from that list the club picked a seven-man committee that includes six of its members and one from the nearby Coronado YC, virtually assuring the selection of San Diego.

In an all-day meeting Saturday, the club’s board agreed to drop one committee member and add five new ones, including Sail America President Malin Burnham and four non-San Diego residents--”each a person of some expertise and reputation,” Marshall said.

However, the compromise was unacceptable to Sail America.

The offer was spearheaded by club commodore Dr. Fred Frye, whom a spokesman described as “deeply disappointed” over the breakdown. A day earlier, Frye had indicated the two sides were close to agreement in “very delicate” negotiations.

Marshall, who headed the Stars & Stripes design team, said the club’s action was “an effort to manipulate and control this thing at the expense of all the other values.” He added: “We’re being told there are no values other than satisfying the selfish needs of the San Diego community. Not one committee member has America’s Cup expertise or experience.”

Marshall denied that Conner and other Sail America leaders would prefer to defend the cup in Hawaii or elsewhere.

“What Sail America is asking is a committee that can make a rational decision,” Marshall said.

The contract allows for arbitration to settle disputes.

Sail America spokesman Robert Hopkins disputed that the club has the right to seize total control of the defense because “they didn’t pay for the America’s Cup or take all the risks.”