The Red Sox "are leaning toward" a new ballpark plan
that "does not include accompanying commercial development
in the Fenway area," according to sources of Anthony Flint
of the BOSTON GLOBE. Because of worries about cost and
neighborhood opposition, sources said that team execs "are
concentrating on building" a new Fenway Park and Red Sox
Hall of Fame, and securing state help for parking and street
improvements in the area. A decision on any related
development "has been put off." One official involved in
the planning process said, "They're scaling it back and
focusing just on the ballpark for now." The revised
approach would keep the cost of the project at about $350M,
compared with the estimated $1B price on one option the Red
Sox had talked about that included hotels, shops and an
entertainment district. In related news, the team has hired
a marketing firm to poll New England residents on "what
they'd like to see in a new ballpark." The team won't
discuss details until the plan is officially announced,
which could happen this spring (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/27).
