CONVENTION CENTER COMMISSION WANTS MORE MONEY FROM KRAFT

     Members of the MA special convention center commission told
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft that he "must be willing to pay more"
toward the construction of a stadium, according to today's BOSTON
HERALD.  Sources say that Kraft's initial offer was between $60M-
70M.  Meanwhile, citing the MA Lodging Association's "renewed
opposition" to any hotel tax hike to pay for a megaplex and Gov.
William Weld's pledge to veto any statewide tax hike to help
finance the facility, MA House Ways and Means Chair Thomas
Finneran "warned" yesterday that the dome "could doom the
convention center."  Finneran:  "I need to hear that the
commission has solid, substantial private financing for
everything over and above a convention center alone."  State Sen.
Robert Havern:  "The vast majority of the stadium costs must be
privately paid for and we are making serious progress toward that
end" (Phil Primack, BOSTON HERALD, 5/17).