Additional details of the Patriots' 226-page
development deal with the state of CT were revealed by Mike
Swift of the HARTFORD COURANT. Among the items: CT will pay
up to $750,000 to move the team and its offices to Hartford;
The team could add a dome to the stadium but would have to
pay for it; The Patriots can borrow money using the
"millions of dollars" the team "will take out of the
Hartford stadium over the 30-year term of the deal" as
collateral. The Hartford revenues "would replace revenues"
from the team's home in Foxboro "to secure team debts."
Another concession by the state has it taking "the
extraordinary action of waiving the sovereign immunity of
the State," allowing the team to sue CT as "if it was a
private business" over any disputes regarding CT's revenue
guarantee on luxury and club seats (HARTFORD COURANT, 2/21).
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: In Boston, Will McDonough
reported that the Giants will vote against the Patriots'
move to Hartford, as the team considers Hartford "their
market" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/20)....In Boston, Cosmo Macero
reported that Ogden Corp. "could be among the big winners"
in a Patriots move, as it is interested in bidding on the
stadium services. Macero added that such a deal could also
benefit CT-based Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance, which
has a $1M stake in Ogden (BOSTON HERALD, 2/19).
