The DC council voted unanimously yesterday to approve an
agreement between Bullets/Capitals owner Abe Pollin and Mayor
Marion Barry to build a downtown arena.  The vote came after
Pollin refused to conditions that would require him to generate
more money for the city.  Pollin has agreed to pay $180M for the
construction of the facility, while DC will pay an estimated $50M
for site preparation, including land sale.  The Council's
Committee on Economic Development recommended that Pollin's teams
be required to play all pre-and post-season games at the
facility, be responsible for filling 290 days of events, and
arena concessionaires to pay a real estate tax.  But Pollin's
objections, and the fact MD "still is pushing him to keep his
teams in Prince George's County -- prompted the council to back
down" (Michael Fletcher, WASHINGTON POST, 2/8).

     MA residents want the Patriots to stay in the state, "but
they are firmly opposed to spending public dollars to upgrade
Foxboro Stadium or to build the team a Boston megaplex home,"
according to a poll in this morning's BOSTON GLOBE.  The poll,
conducted by KRC Communications for the BOSTON GLOBE from
February 5-6, surveyed 400 MA residents on the issue of public
assistance in the wake of comments by Patriots Owner Bob Kraft
that he was promised financial aid by the state when he bought
the team.  The poll has a margin of error of +/- 5%.  Pollster
Gerry Chervinsky:  "The majority says 'build a convention center
but don't send state money on a football facility'" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 2/8).
     QUESTION:  Should the state pay to make improvements to
Foxboro Stadium?   68% No, 20% Yes.
     QUESTION:  Should the state pay to make improvements to
roads near Foxboro Stadium?  57% Yes, 34% No.
     QUESTION:  Should the state pay to construct a convention
center/stadium megaplex, or should the state construct a
convention center and let the Patriots pay for a new stadium if
they want one, or should the state spend no money on any kind of
facility like this?


          

  
 
    
Convention 
      Center/Stadium
    
 
      
33%
    
  
  
 
    
No facility
    
 
      
31%
    
  
  
 
    
Convention 
      Center only
    
 
      
28%
    
  


     QUESTION:  Patriots Owner Bob Kraft says he may have to move
the team unless the state provides funds for stadium
improvements.  Do you think he means it, or is he just making
threats to get state help?


  
 
    
Just making 
      threats
    
 
      
53%
    
  
  
 
    
He means 
      it
    
 
      
28%
    
  



     QUESTION:  How important is it to the image of Massachusetts
to have a pro football team?


          

  
 
    
Very important
    
 
      
37%
    
  
  
 
    
Somewhat 
      important
    
 
      
38%
    
  
  
 
    
Not important 
      at all
    
 
      
24%
    
  



     ON THE OWNER:  59% called Kraft a "savvy businessman who
purchased a valuable NFL franchise and should not expect state
help."  Only 23% said Kraft was a "civic-minded leader who
deserved state aid for keeping the team here when there were
fears the Patriots would move" (Scot Lehigh, BOSTON GLOBE, 2/8).

     The Raptors are in "delicate" negotiations with Marathon
Realty over a parcel of land for their new 22,500-seat arena
previously slated toward an open space and a community service
building.  The Raptors now are trying to determine where that
building and open space, required by the city, will be relocated.
Until the issue is resolved, the deal to buy the land from Canada
Post, "is in limbo."  (Doug Smith, CP/Toronto GLOBE & MAIL).

     Tigers President John McHale says the team "is no longer in
a financial position" to build a new ballpark without state
funding, according to the DETROIT NEWS.  In the past, team owner
Mike Ilitch has said he would fund the $175M park with the
expectation state and local governments would pay for roads,
sewers, environmental cleanup and associated costs.  State
legislative leaders did not react enthusiastically to the new
plan.  House Appropriations Committee Chair Don Gilmer: "It just
went from a tough sell to an impossible sell....I get as excited
as anyone when Cecil Fielder towers one out of the park, but I
don't feel a strong urge to provide Cecil, or the other players,
with a new stadium at taxpayer expense so they can make another
million in salary."  Gov. John Engler says the Tigers would have
to "bring the state of Michigan on as a business partner" in
exchange for help on a new ballpark.  Engler's press secretary,
John Truscott: "If there's to be state money involved (for the
stadium itself), we have to get some of the benefits, get a cut
of the profits or be paid back in some way."  State Rep. Maxine
Berman doubts the team would get help from the state, and thinks
even a metropolitan-wide referendum to decide to help pay for a
ballpark would fail  (Charlie Cain, DETROIT NEWS, 2/7).  A
DETROIT FREE-PRESS editorial states the Tigers announcement
"makes it tougher to envision a politically defensible,
economically sound plan for a new stadium" (2/7).

     Gov. Tommy Thompson has refused to push for more Indian
gaming in exchange for money that could help build a new stadium
for the Brewers.  However, Thompson "propped the door open" for
discussions on "revenue sharing" -- having the tribes give up a
share of their growing profits to the state (Steve Schultze,
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, 2/7).
     NO PROPERTY TAX: Milwaukee Common Council President John
Kalwitz predicts any stadium financing plan that includes
sizeable contributions from the city thorough increased property
taxes would be "dead-on-arrival" (Nichols & Enriquez, MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL, 2/7).