Patriots' President Sends Letter Claiming His Team Benefits Boston

John L. Powers' article in Friday's CRIMSON, which said that Harvard should not cooperate in giving the Stadium to the Patriots, earned a quick response from William H. Sullivan Jr., president of the Patriots.

In a seven-page letter sent by special delivery to the CRIMSON. Sullivan wrote that keeping the Patriots in Boston was in the public interest, that traffic and parking would not be a problem, that relations between the Patriots and Boston College were good and that his organization has cooperated with the city.

Sullivan also said that his organization had met with representatives from Harvard. Though he emphasized the cordial atmosphere at the meeting, he would not discuss the subjects covered. "Harvard's representatives made us feel very welcome, and left us with a strong conviction that they would research the situation very thoroughly pending future meetings," he wrote.

Sullivan argues that keeping the Patriots in Boston would be in the public interest because of its large payroll, the taxes paid by its players, and because of the use of public transportation which the Patriots' games encourage on Sunday.

The Patriot's president does not explain why his organization cannot raise funds as other businesses do, but he points out that public funds are hard to raise because 50 per cent of the city's land is tax exempt.

"Since Harvard. along with other tax exempt entities, has helped to put the city in a position where it cannot build a stadium to compete with other cities, then it seems perfectly proper that it should place the public good above its considerations as both Boston College and Boston University have done in the past." Sullivan concludes.

The Legislature is holding hearings this week on the possibility of acquiring the Stadium through eminent domain.