DEJA VU? In Pittsburgh, Dave Copeland writes that
Northeastern Univ.'s Center for Regional & Urban Policy
Associate Dir Charles Euchner said that the agreement which
gives "developmental rights for the land occupied by Three
Rivers Stadium" to the Pirates and Steelers "looks
remarkably like" the deal that "lured" the Rams from L.A.
Coliseum to Anaheim Stadium in '78. Euchner, noting that
then Rams Owner Carroll Rosenbloom was "promised" rights to
land next to the stadium: "They wanted to do what your
people in Pittsburgh want to do. It turned into the biggest
mess imaginable" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 5/12).
FENWAY TALKS CONTINUE: In Boston, Cosmo Macero cites
sources as saying that Red Sox officials and their
developmental advisers briefed city and state leaders on a
proposal May 8 that has the team "strongly" indicating their
"willingness to strike a deal that would repay most of a"
$250-300M public investment in a new Fenway Park. One
source: "They said they have an openness to paying back both
the state and the city over time. There are a million
different ways to slice that ... but it was interesting that
they are willing" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/12). Boston Mayor Thomas
Menino said yesterday a new Fenway Park could be financed
"in part by tapping into the value of land that will be
available when the existing stadium is torn down." Menino:
"Conceivably any piece of land that's located near the new
Fenway Park is worth a lot of money." Red Sox spokesperson
Kathryn St. John said that the team has "already factored
the land into its financing plan" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/12).
GOING THE DISTANCE? In Philadelphia, Frederick Cusick
writes that city execs Jonathan Saidel and Michael Nutter
last night "put some distance between themselves" and Mayor
John Street's proposal to build a downtown Phillies ballpark
at 12th and Vine Streets. Saidel said yesterday that his
"knees buckled" when he heard Street's $1B price tag for new
Phillies and Eagles facilities (PHILA. INQUIRER, 5/12).
