EVERYBODY'S WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND? NOT RED SOX, SAYS MAYOR

          MA officials say the Red Sox have "passed up" several
     offers to negotiate city financing for a proposed $627M
     ballpark project on recent weekends and the July 4th
     holiday, "frustrating officials hoping to close the deal,"
     according to David Guarino of the BOSTON HERALD.  Boston
     Mayor Thomas Menino said that the city "is doing everything
     it can to strike a deal" on the plans and "suggested that
     the team isn't moving with any sense of urgency."  Menino:
     "My team is ready, we're willing and we've been willing for
     the last five weeks to work on it.  We've been available
     every weekend to work."  But Menino said of contact from the
     Red Sox, "The phones haven't rang at all."  Red Sox ballpark
     spokesperson Kathryn St. John said, "We've responded to all
     the city's requests for information and we remain available
     around the clock.  We have been available and there have
     been telephone calls exchanged" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/10). 
     Meanwhile a KRC Communications/Boston Globe telephone poll
     of 400 city residents taken last week found "nearly" 70% of
     those surveyed said they "have a favorable or extremely
     favorable" opinion of the Red Sox.  But "only" 34% of
     participants supported the team's "financing plan" when they
     were presented with an outline of the proposal, and 43%
     "opposed" the plan.  MA-based KRC President Gerry
     Chervinsky, on the results: "The bottom line is Bostonians
     don't want public money used for this project."  Red Sox CEO
     John Harrington earned a 29% "favorable" rating and 10%
     "unfavorable" rating by respondents (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/10).