Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said Saturday "in a
remarkable reversal" that he would support building a new
stadium for the Patriots in Boston if the team's move to
Hartford "falls through," according to Cassidy & Flint of
the BOSTON GLOBE. Menino also said that "he had disposed of
any personal animosity toward" Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
that resulted from the team's attempt to build a new stadium
in South Boston two years ago. Menino: "Sometimes you have
to get beyond that; you have to get beyond relationships.
This is good for the city of Boston." Menino's sudden
backing of a new stadium in Boston, which "could be an
important breakthrough" in MA's attempt to keep the team,
and comes as a group of civic leaders are launching a "last-
minute campaign to block" the Patriots' move to Hartford.
The group, headed by former DNC Chair Paul Kirk Jr., will
make an alternative proposal for keeping the team in MA at
the NFL owners' meeting in May. Kirk is close to Steelers
President Dan Rooney, who has been "an outspoken critic of
NFL teams leaving their home markets." Both Kirk and Rooney
have agreed to do "whatever they could" to prevent the team
from moving (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/18). In Boston, Cosmo Macero
reports that "half a dozen teams already have indicated they
won't approve" the move to CT (BOSTON HERALD, 4/19).
STAY IF YOU MAY: In Boston, Macero & Silberman wrote
that Kirk and Boston Edison Chair Thomas May led NFL
VP/League Development Roger Goodell and a league stadium
financing specialist on a tour of the MA State House Friday
and introduced them to House Speaker Thomas Finneran and
Gov. Paul Cellucci. May said a new effort to keep the team
in Boston "is being driven by" NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue and other league execs: "It all started with the
NFL reaching out to us." The push for a new stadium deal in
Boston "is moving forward with no apparent involvement from
Kraft," who's CT deal prohibits him from talking to any
other parties. CT Gov. John Rowland spokesperson Dean
Pagani said, "What's happening on Beacon Hill is not a
factor" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/17). Finneran said he was open to
talks on a new stadium, and said Friday: "I think it's
interesting that the league has expressed a willingness to
step into this situation and try to find a solution" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 4/17). ESPN's Chris Mortensen: "I've been told by
very good league sources that it really appears the team
will stay in Foxboro or Boston" (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/19).
