Boston Mayor Thomas Menino met with Red Sox CEO John
Harrington yesterday "for the first time in six weeks," and
sources at the meeting said that Menino "reiterated his
support for a new Fenway Park but admonished Harrington for
the way the team has publicly pushed its plan," according to
Meg Vaillancourt in a front-page report in the BOSTON GLOBE.
The sources noted that Menino "expressed displeasure" with
Harrington "for holding a press conference last weekend to
detail proposals for how the city might recoup its" proposed
$275M investment in the $627M ballpark project. Menino felt
that the team was "attempting to pressure him through the
media" and was "apparently upset with Harrington for
commenting that he had been unable to reach the mayor for
over a month." But Menino "also offered Harrington some
encouraging words" by saying that he wanted to finalize a
deal for the ballpark before the State Legislature adjourns
next month. The sources added that "there was no detailed
discussion of the team's proposals for repaying the city"
and that Menino "indicated" that he and Harrington would
talk again later this week (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/21).
ODDS & ENDS: The Red Sox released a poll of 500
registered voters taken from June 8-15 that found 61%
supported partial public financing for a new ballpark,
"providing the state and city recoup money through increased
tax receipts" and from a hotel tax and parking surcharge.
The poll was conducted by Harrison & Goldberg (BOSTON
HERALD, 6/21). But in Boston, Macero & Guarino write that
Menino is "rejecting financing ideas" that involve the
public, including a $1 ticket surcharge that could go toward
the Red Sox' portion of the cost. Menino: "Why does it
always have to be the fans who carry the burden?" Macero &
Guarino: "[Menino's] stance has puzzled some observers,
because a ticket surcharge appears to satisfy his demand for
more private investment in the deal" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/21).
