NEW YORK, NY January 14, 2009 —Mayor Bloomberg is defending the city's spending on new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees, saying his administration fought hard to get the best deals possible.

The mayor says no one could've foreseen how much construction costs would rise.

BLOOMBERG: When those contracts were made, it was a different world. Cost of steel and cement was different. Availability of labor was different. Cost of financing was different. People's willingness to rent space.

REPORTER: Yesterday, City comptroller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson issued an audit showing the city's capital outlay for infrastructure improvements has jumped, from $129 million, to $325 million.

Bloomberg says Thompson, as controller, approved those deals.