Until now, the plan has been for the Boston Red Sox to build anew ballpark right next to the old one in the Fenway area. Thatplan has apparently been stalled by the lack of support from theCity Council, which needs to give approval for the Sox to take theland in Fenway by eminent domain and approve the $140 million itwould cost to buy the land.

"The city proposal to build a ballpark next to Fenway is dead,"points out Crawford. "The votes from the City Council on theeminent domain issue are not there and the votes for providing the$140 million are not there." A plan to rebuild Fenway Park has beenfloating around for the past few weeks, but Crawford declares thatrebuilding the 1912 ballpark is "not possible."

It has long been assumed that South Boston residents wereopposed to a ballpark in their district. Five years ago when RobertKraft, the New England Patriots owner, suggested a stadium on thewaterfront he was chased out of town. Crawford insists that aballpark is different and this plan is different.