Red Sox Struggle to Build New Fenway Park

BOSTON-The difficulty the Red Sox are having finding financing for a new Fenway Park has prompted calls for the team to look at other sites. The team is reportedly facing a potential $60-million land cost overrun, which could make the project too costly for the team to finance.

The state has already pledged $100 million for road and infrastructure work and has indicated to the team that it is not prepared to pledge additional funds. Under the legislation passed this summer, the Red Sox are responsible for all cost overruns associated with the project. The team has emphasized that it is committed to remaining in Fenway, and team officials have stated that they will ensure that the team is in Fenway before the Red Sox are sold to new owners.

Local groups opposed to a new Fenway Park insist that that site can never be economically feasible because of the high cost of land in the city and because the team has failed to buy out any of the business owners on the site of the proposed new ballpark. The city has agreed to provide $140 million to acquire the ballpark site but the land costs could go up to $200 million.

The suggestion of a new ballpark near the South Boston waterfront has been met with resistance from local politicians, such as Mayor Thomas M. Menino and US Representative J. Joseph Moakley. Menino has emphasized that the Boston Redevelopment Authority studied over 20 sites in the city and rejected all of them due to traffic, parking, lack of access to mass transit and the need to relocate businesses or residents among other problems.

Menino states that he is committed to the Fenway Park site. While his office did not return calls by press time, the mayor has reportedly expressed frustration that the Red Sox have failed to come to a deal with any of the landowners currently on the new Fenway site. He has also indicated that he would not support providing more aid to the team, should they request it.