Mayor makes final pitch to Sox

A deal on a replacement for Fenway Park isn't proving easy

By David R. Guarino and Scott Van Voorhis

July 6, 2000 Web posted at: 2:49 PM EDT (1849 GMT)

In this story: Deal could come soon Location, location, location RELATED STORIES

BOSTON, Massachusetts (The Boston Herald) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino drew a late-inning line in the sand with the Red Sox, offering $30 million less in city funding for a new Fenway park than the team wants and opposing the use of public dollars for two parking garages seen critical to the new facility's success.

Sources yesterday said Menino will ask for an answer from Sox brass today on the $110 million offer for site acquisition and preparation as the two sides sit down for another in a series of high-level summits on the park.

But sources say the offer, $10 million more than the mayor first put on the table, is the best the team is going to get from Menino.

That may leave the team in the difficult position of going to the state to fill the gap.

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``That's as far as the mayor is willing to go,'' said a source close to negotiations. ``They asked for $140 million so, essentially, he's put them $30 million away from a new ballpark.''

But House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran said last night that he is unlikely to add any state money beyond the $100 million to $150 million needed for infrastructure.

``We've been very consistent, very open, very above-board about everything,'' he told the Herald.

``(The House's hard line) was designed to give the Red Sox some clarity and some certainty,'' he said.

``I think the House membership would be very skeptical about being drawn into'' land acqusition costs, he added.

Sources said Menino only made the final offer after the team repeatedly turned down his suggestions that they use items like stock offerings to offset public costs. The sources also indicated Menino turned down city support to build two parking garages near the stadium, an estimated $82 million cost.

``They are clearly something the Red Sox could finance themselves, they probably don't need government's help to do that,'' a source said.

The source said the team didn't make the case for any taxpayer help for the garages, which, if built with private funding, could bring the team a tidy profit.

``I don't think, at this point, that they have demonstrated for the city or the state why it's important for either to put their financing to work for the garages.''

Revelations of the mayor's final offer come as sources say a deal in principal could be reached as early as today. With the clock ticking on Beacon Hill, officials said, the team must quickly reach a deal with the city and move on before the Legislature adjourns for the year July 31.

Menino said once the two sides begin final negotiations, a deal could be struck within a ``matter of hours.'' The mayor spoke several times with Sox CEO John Harrington yesterday and will meet with Harrington, and possibly top State House officials, today.

The mayor's insistence on a land cap comes in the wake of reports that the team is poised to cut a deal to acquire land now home to the Howard Johnson's Hotel and Twin souvenir shops. It doesn't necessarily put the team in a $30 million hole if it can negotiate down land costs or preparation costs, the sources said.

But the team continues to insist that it can't absorb any costs beyond the construction of the new ballpark itself and any overruns associated with that part of the project, sources said.

Meanwhile, both the team and even its opponents have estimated that land costs in the hot real estate market, could climb well past $110 million and could even rise toward the $200 million range.

Finneran supported state assistance for land acquisition for the Convention Center but, with the Sox and New England Patriots insisted no public money be diverted to stadium building, including site acquisition and cleanup.

``A convention center's a very different economic entity than a ballpark,'' Finneran said last night. ``It's a public authority . . . that's a fundamental distinction.''

Menino yesterday expressed the first signs of frustration at the team's inability to close a deal.

``I'll work with them right 'till the last day, I just hope that they want to get the deal done,'' Menino said.

Asked if the team isn't moving quickly enough to strike a deal, Menino said, ``Well, they are spending a lot of time acquiring ballplayers lately, it might be taking up some of their time.''

The team refused to comment last night, saying only that they will ``continue to work'' at getting the deal done before month's end.

But sources said the parties are negotiating with a growing sense of urgency today, given that Gov. Paul Cellucci leaves town Friday for a weekend conference.

Cellucci and Senate President Thomas Birmingham (D-Chelsea) added to the heightened level of expectations on the Sox plans, expressing new concerns about getting the project done on time.

``I was (optimistic), but it's July 5th,'' said Cellucci. ``We don't have much time left. It seems to me we need to get something resolved very soon . . . hopefully, I would think within the next week or so.''

Said Birmingham: ``With each passing day it gets more and more difficult. I do think it's a fairly steep uphill climb and . . . with each falling leaf of the calendar, it's that much (harder).''

Despite the tough talk from City Hall and the State House, sources said the city could strike a deal over its share of financing soon.

Once the team gets down the business of negotiating, Menino said a deal is imminent.

``Honestly, the disagreements at this time can be worked out in a matter of hours,'' Menino said.

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