WILPON AIMS TO SELL N.Y. LEADERS ON HIS FIELD OF DREAMS

          Mets co-Owner Fred Wilpon is "lobbying hard but has not
     yet persuaded" N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani's administration to
     pay for a new ballpark that has "both a retractable roof and
     a roll-out field," according to City Hall sources cited by
     Peter Grant of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS.  Wilpon met with
     Giuliani and his aides on Tuesday, but "failed to convince
     them the city should put up a lot more money to pay for
     those expensive features."  Sources estimate that the "fancy
     extras would add" $150M to the cost of the ballpark,
     "pumping it up" to $700M.  Wilpon noted that the roof would
     allow the facility to hold events year round and said of
     City Hall, "They are supportive of the project.  We're
     making very good progress" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/20).
          LEARN FROM NEIGHBORS: In N.Y., Dave Anderson writes
     that the Red Sox ballpark plan "should be examined" by N.Y.
     teams and NY politicians: "The Yankees belong in the Bronx.
     ... The Mets belong in a ball park that resembles Ebbets
     Field.  Charm counts in New York, too" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/20).