FENWAY OR THE HIGHWAY? In a front-page report in
today's BOSTON GLOBE, Meg Vaillancourt cites sources who
said that a "'delicate consensus' appears to be emerging
among three of the four key political leaders" -- Mayor
Thomas Menino, MA House Speaker Thomas Finneran and MA
Senate President Thomas Birmingham -- on using a
"combination of existing hotel taxes, new parking fees, and
garage revenues to provide a breakthrough in negotiations"
on a new Fenway Park. But MA Gov. Paul Cellucci "blasted a
city proposal" for parking surcharges (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/14).
Also in Boston, Macero & Guarino write that Cellucci "moved
to seize control" of the project's "fate" by meeting with
Red Sox CEO John Harrington (BOSTON HERALD, 7/14).
NOTES: Bergen County exec William Schuber proposed an
"economic blueprint" to keep the Meadowlands sports complex
"and surrounding businesses alive," as the Devils and Nets
are "expected to leave" to Newark. Schuber's plan includes
bringing train service to the Meadowlands, building a mall,
using Continental Airlines Arena for amateur sports and
turning landfills into golf courses. But whether the plan
"gets the attention" of NJ Gov. Christie Whitman "remains to
be seen" (Bergen RECORD, 7/14)....In Minneapolis, Sid
Hartman writes to "look for" the Vikings and the Univ. of MN
"to find some way to get a stadium built so both can
flourish" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/14)....The Portland
City Council unanimously approved operating and
redevelopment agreements with Portland Family Entertainment
(PFE) for Civic Stadium that "turn over the renovation and
operation" of the stadium to a partnership headed by
Marshall Glickman and Mark Gardiner. Under the deals, the
city will retain ownership in and share revenues from the
facility, while PFE will pay the city $908,000 -- increasing
4% annually -- and make a $200,000 payment to a construction
and maintenance fund (OREGONIAN, 7/13)....OH-based The Motz
Group will install the new turf at Stadium Australia "just
after the opening ceremonies" at the Sydney Games this
summer. The company is also installing soccer fields in
Melbourne and Brisbane (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/14).
