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).
