CT lawmakers will meet on December 15 and be asked to
approve a $375M package for a new stadium for the Patriots,
according to Mike Swift of the HARTFORD COURANT. The
original $350M package has been increased by $25M to cover
inflation while the stadium is built. But despite the added
cost, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin Sullivan (D) said that
legislative leaders were "given the high number, and said
lawmakers are comfortable with the reasons for it" (HARTFORD
COURANT, 11/29). Also in Hartford, Matthew Daly wrote that
the plan scheduled for debate on the 15th is "likely to be
approved -- and quickly." To "make approval even more
likely," CT Gov. John Rowland has proposed using $100M or
more of the state's surplus on the stadium, which would
reduce the amount of bonds needed and "lower the ultimate
cost" (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/26). In Boston, Tina Cassidy
wrote that $50M of CT's $300M FY '98 surplus could be
earmarked for the stadium (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/26).
GIVE ME STEAM: CT officials are in talks with CTG
Resources, which owns CT Gas, about plans to relocate CTG's
steam plant off the site of the proposed new stadium. State
officials have "raised the threat" of "eminent domain to
force the relocation" of the plant. But such action could
lead to "a messy legal battle." The plant's relocation
would cost "nearly" $100M, which has been figured into the
$1B cost of Adriaen's Landing development, but not included
in the cost for the new stadium (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/27).
U.S. EPA Administrator John DeVillars "played down fears
that cleanup costs and time delays could derail the
stadium." While soil contamination would need to be cleaned
up, DeVillars called the environmental issues "eminently
resolvable" with no threat to the project (BOSTON GLOBE,
11/29). DeVillars: "It's simply a question of time and
money, not a question of whether or not the project can go
forward." Asked if the team would delay its relocation from
2001, Patriots VP/Business Operations Andy Wasynczuk said,
"Our hope and expectation is to be ready for 2001. But we
obviously are going to need to respect the seriousness of
these things, and work through them" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/30).
ENDORSEMENT: A HARTFORD COURANT editorial continued to
push for the project: "The Patriots' coming to Hartford
would be a giant advance. During the past two weeks, the
psychological uplift in the region has been phenomenal. ...
Not building the stadium does not mean that the state would
use the $350 million for other purposes. The bonds simply
would not be issued" (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/30).
KRAFT'S PLIGHT: In N.Y., David Halbfinger wrote of
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft's efforts to build a new stadium
in MA and CT. Kraft did not wish to be interviewed for the
piece, as his son Jonathan said, "We want to stay
underground for now." Halbfinger wrote that "old Boston
tensions" surfaced as Kraft tried to get a new facility in
Boston. One "longtime" Kraft supporter said of the Patriots
owner's efforts in Boston, "This town is not impressed with
new money" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/29).
