In a "surprise press conference held in the Boston
office" of U.S. Rep. Joe Moakley, Patriots Owner Robert
Kraft "abandoned" his plan for a 69,000-seat football
stadium in South Boston, according to Tina Cassidy of the
BOSTON GLOBE. Kraft said he that "he would look elsewhere
in the region for a more hospitable site." After spending
"nearly two years" and $4M developing the South Boston site,
Kraft said he realized "this week that he would never win
over the legion of opponents in the neighborhood." Kraft
had planned to launch a new stadium campaign this week, but
was told by the MA Port Authority and BankBoston Corp. that
"his proposal has lost the little momentum it had in the
neighborhood." Kraft added that it was also a phone call
with Moakley, a Democrat from South Boston, that "ultimately
pushed him to drop the proposal" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22).
REHABILITATION? In Sunday's GLOBE, an extensive, page-
one piece featured, "How Kraft's Grand Plan Unraveled.
Stadium A Lesson In Boston Politics." Insiders say Kraft's
"most fatal flaw" in the process was to speak to people at
the "top before he went to people on the street" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 2/23). HERALD columnist Peter Gelzinis writes under
the header, "Clueless Confidantes Sent Kraft Stumbling Down
Road To Folly." In a phone call last week, Moakley asked
Kraft why he never called to inform him of the stadium plan
before details were reported in the press. Kraft reportedly
told Moakley, "I was told not to" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/22).
The GLOBE's Scott Lehigh noted that Moakley, by appearing
with Kraft, "gave the Patriots owner a forum to try to
rehabilitate his damaged reputation" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22).
A GLOBE editorial notes Kraft was "deferential toward the
community and sympathetic to its concerns" on Friday, adding
"Who knows what the outcome of the stadium controversy would
have been had he acted with similar political tact before he
firmed up his plan" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22).
WHAT'S NEXT: Kraft said he did not have another stadium
location lined up: "We are literally back to the drawing
board. ... [W]e are going to consider every serious proposal
in New England and we are going to move as quickly as we
can" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22). Providence Mayor Vincent Cianci,
Jr., told Kraft that consultants are preparing a proposal
for the team to come to Rhode Island by offering "some
public financing and an accessible site off Interstate 95"
(Tina Cassidy, BOSTON GLOBE, 2/24). Boston Mayor Thomas
Menino said he would still like the Patriots in the city at
"the appropriate site," adding "I have to stay focused on a
convention center and the Red Sox. We know what they can do
for the city" (Jules Crittenden, BOSTON HERALD, 2/23).
