Background and Site History
for Fenway Park Improvements

"Fenway Park is the oldest major league ballpark in continuous use in the United States. Originally constructed in 1912 and renovated in 1934, it has the smallest capacity of any ballpark in the Major Leagues. Previous ownership undertook a recent and ultimately unsuccessful campaign to assemble the necessary parcels and infrastructure support for the construction of a new Fenway Park, which was to be built near the existing site. This proposal was opposed by many who suggested that a new ballpark was not necessary to achieve the capacity and fan services that present-day baseball parks require. Much public discussion was had on the issue of whether Fenway Park could be re-configured or re-constructed to allow for increased capacity and fan amenities, and organizations such as Save Fenway Park strongly advocated for the renovation / redevelopment of this historic venue.

While there are many decisions still to be made about the long-term viability of Fenway Park, the new ownership group, led by John W. Henry, Tom Werner and Team President/CEO Larry Lucchino, is committed to improving the overall fan experience at Fenway Park immediately by making interim improvements for the 2003 season. These interim improvements would convert current standing room capacity to seated locations within the existing footprint.

To be clear, the interim steps outlined below are being proposed for use in the 2003 baseball season and are not to be construed as part of a "Master Plan" to renovate or re-develop Fenway Park. While new ownership has commissioned an engineering study of the structure and supports of Fenway Park to analyze its current condition with an eye toward embarking on a process to plan for the future viability of the park, these future decisions involve a planning process that is not yet underway. This long-term planning process will of course involve further application to and comprehensive review by the BRA and other government authorities, as well as further review and input from civic and neighborhood interest groups.

Accordingly, the 2003 projects are suggested as a stand-alone, interim series of improvements that are consistent with the existing capacity and physical limitations of the park and provide an immediate upgrade to the fan experience, without a material impact to the surrounding neighborhood and businesses. While these improvements would not conflict with a long-term vision for Fenway, they are independent of any future plans; the Red Sox have made a determination that the immediate benefits to the fan experience from these improvements are sufficiently compelling to move forward with such projects independent of any future decisions."