$70M bond bill for Pats now law.

• Position: NEW ENGLAND

Byline: Brian S. McNiff

BOSTON - Flanked by a Patriots football helmet and a football, Gov. Paul Cellucci yesterday signed into law the $70 million bond issue for road and utilities work at a new football stadium in Foxboro.

He said the bill is good for the National Football League, for the Patriots, "and I know it's good for the Patriots fans in Massachusetts."

Don Lowery, a Patriots vice president who attended the Statehouse ceremony, had a one-word answer when asked team owner Robert K. Kraft's reaction to the signing, "Glee."

Kraft is in Atlanta for the NFL owners meeting, working on securing a loan from the league to help finance the $225 million stadium.

Cellucci also was joined by Lt. Gov. Jane M. Swift, Senate President Thomas F. Birmingham, House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, Foxboro area legislators, Boston Chamber of Commerce President Paul H. Guzzi, and Boston businessman Paul G. Kirk Jr., who was instrumental in getting the final agreement on the bill.

As he approached the microphone at the press...