Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, who told the BOSTON GLOBE that
his team lost over $13M in '94, has called on the State of
Masssachusetts to back up promises made to him when he bought the
team last year. In a front page exclusive, Kraft said
"commitments he thought had been made to him prior to buying the
team have drowned in a sea of political rhetoric," and has left
him "pondering the Patriots' future, both short-term and long-
term." Kraft said Gov. William Weld and state officials have
"abandoned promises of $15 million" in state aid for improvements
to Foxboro Stadium and Route 1, and that a plan to "relieve the
stadium's financial situation must be worked out within six
months or he will have to decide to sell or move the team."
Kraft: "I can last like this maybe two or three more years, but
if I don't see something happen in the next six months I'll have
to do some planning." Kraft originally thought $15M in state aid
would go to short term stadium improvements, while plans for a
megaplex in Boston moved forward. Those plans "appeared to die
last week" when a summit of legislative leaders announced that
private sector backers had four months to come up with money to
finance a domed stadium. If there is no megaplex, Kraft is
seeking "roughly $50 million in state backed financing" to allow
renovation of Foxboro Stadium, including new luxury suites and
club seating. Although Kraft states he "cannot go on like this
indefinitely," he wants to stay in MA: "I am a local boy. I
grew up in Boston" (Ron Borges, BOSTON GLOBE, 1/29).
