TEAM'S POOR PLAY CAN'T BE HELPING KRAFT'S DRIVE FOR STADIUM

          A "final" stadium bill for the Patriots was
     "overwhelmingly approved" by the MA House last night, and it
     makes the Town of Foxboro "responsible for any shortfall in
     the team's revenue stream payment to the state," according
     to Tina Cassidy of the BOSTON GLOBE.  A "last minute"
     amendment would "withhold local aid payments to the town if
     the Patriots do not hand over" about $2M in parking fees
     annually for the next 20 years.  The legislation "requires
     the team to pay the state those fees in exchange" for $52M
     in infrastructure improvements around Foxboro Stadium.  The
     Patriots are still studying the bill, and "will likely let
     the Legislature continue its debate without any input from
     the franchise."  If Patriots Owner Robert Kraft does not
     agree to spend $50M of his own funds on the stadium, then
     the state would not fund the infrastructure improvements and
     the bill "would be moot" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/18).