First The Green Monster, Now Rooftop Seats Atop Fenway Park?

Red Sox Pondering Right-Field Roof Seats

Red Sox officials "are weighing plans to install hundreds of seats on the roof over the right-field grandstands" of Fenway Park, according to Scott Van Voorhis of the BOSTON HERALD, who notes the space currently is "a roost for television camera crews and advertisements." Team execs said that they are "still in the early stages" of discussing the project and "would not begin work on the plan until after this season." Meanwhile, some observers "see the potential move as yet another sign that Sox executives are not planning a major renovation and expansion of Fenway anytime soon." Fenway Community Development Corp. Exec Dir Carl Koechlin: "All these things are good signs they are investing in Fenway Park at a scale that seems appropriate." Boston-based Game Plan LLC Chair Robert Caporale "suggested that the ongoing state fiscal crisis could be putting a damper on major expansion plans." Caporale: "I think they are being very prudent in their approach to Fenway. Given what is happening in other markets where teams have gone forward with new facilities, and yet their attendance is lagging, it would seem to make sense to move slowly." But Fenway-expansion opponent Peter Catalano said, "These are marginal increases. The concern is about [5,000-10,000 additional seats]. These small steps would seem to preclude a very large expansion" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/11).