The presentation--developed by a team of the developer's top aides including spokesman Charles Kenney, transportation consultant Marc Cutler, development advisers Diom O'Connell and Brad Guarino, and South Boston community liaison Joseph Nee--addresses the traffic concerns of local residents and emphasizes that a new stadium would a boon to the area. "We're focused on working closely with the South Boston community," Kenney tells GlobeSt.com. "Most of the questions are about transportation so the presentation focuses on that." Kenney adds that his team has been putting on the presentation at least once a day and sometimes more often.
But Kenney was evasive about McCourt's plans to bid on the team, which is currently up for sale. As of yet, McCourt has not filed the necessary paperwork to bid, although he has until August 15 to do so. Regarding the purchase, Kenney would only say, "I am not in a position to talk about that."
Kenney did note that his team is well aware of local residents' concern over the increase in traffic a 44,000-seat ballpark would bring and emphasizes the changes in infrastructure that would alleviate that potential problem. He points to the Big Dig enhancements to Routes 90 and 93, which would put exit ramps right at the ballpark site, doubling the capacity there for cars. In addition, the MBTA is building a new Silver Line that will stop near the proposed facility. "This brand new infrastructure will make a big difference in how people get there," says Kenney.
Kenney also points to the fact that McCourt's site is a 10-minute walk from South Station and from the financial district and that the water-transport hub is near the proposed stadium location. Kenney is also quick to note that McCourt's site is close to the Harbor and far away from residential areas. This is in contrast to Robert Kraft's ill-fated proposal for a stadium for the New England Patriots in South Boston, which met with intense local opposition four years ago and was eventually voted down.
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