Though the signing of a relocation/stadium deal between
CT Gov. John Rowland and Patriots Owner Robert Kraft was the
"final paper step" to move the team to Hartford, "there
remain many potential land mines that could blow the deal in
the months to come," according to Ohlemacher, Puleo, Ubinas
& Moreau of the HARTFORD COURANT. The main "obstacle" in
the deal is moving the CT Natural Gas Corp. steam plant and
the first major deadline "outlined" in the agreement is
April 2, when CT "must give the Patriots a status report on
arrangements for getting the steam plant off the stadium
site." If the report contains "insufficient information,"
the Patriots can "kill the agreement." The state must also
come up with a "definitive plan" by June 30 on how to move
the steam plant and pay for the relocation process. Another
potential "stumbling block" is getting NFL owners' approval
for the team's move to Hartford, as well as a possible
relocation fee, which the agreement "assumes the league will
not impose." The Patriots will apply for approval from the
owners at the league meetings in May and hope to obtain
permission by October 31 (HARTFORD COURANT, 2/13).
PROVISIONS: In Boston, Cosmo Macero reported that Kraft
is prohibited from selling the team "until the stadium is
ready or the deal collapses" or negotiating with other
states for stadium deals "unless the pact with [CT] is
terminated." To protect CT from potential lawsuits, Kraft
is "indemnifying" the state against damages from lawsuits
over the Patriots' move, which could include possible legal
action by MA AG Thomas Reilly (BOSTON HERALD, 2/13). In
N.Y., Mike Allen wrote the deal allows two years for stadium
construction and "lets the team out of the deal" if the
stadium is not ready by 2002. The team will keep the right
to sell naming rights and indoor advertising, but will give
CT two indoor advertising panels for promoting tourism and
economic development (N.Y. TIMES, 2/15). The deal also has
an "incentive clause" that encourages Kraft to keep building
costs of the stadium below $280M "with a promise of sharing
in the leftover money" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/16).
