CRUNCH TIME IN HUB: In Boston, Vaillancourt & Wilmsen
write that Red Sox CEO John Harrington "has cleared his
schedule, canceling his prior plans to attend the All-Star
Game" in the hopes of a "last minute breakthrough" for a
deal on a new ballpark. But political leaders and the team
"concede that the chances of a new ballpark bill getting
passed this year grow dimmer each day" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/11).
NOTES: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Elizabeth Crowley
writes that for the third year, Aramark has picked two
vendors from each of the 13 MLB ballparks where it sells
concessions and sent them to work tonight's All-Star Game at
Turner Field, where it provides concessions. Crowley adds
that to increase sales, Aramark "depends on vendors to
develop one-on-one relationships with fans. Through its
vendors, Aramark has per-game sales of about $30,000 in its
parks, on average. Fans spend $10 to $12 each on food and
beverages" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/11)....In Ft. Lauderdale,
Sarah Talalay reports that about 600 people are attending
this week's conference of the Association of Luxury Suite
Directors in FL (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 7/11).
