Pats’ goal: Get fans to use app while at Gillette

The New England Patriots are rolling out new digital features in a bid to entice fans who now sit on the couch at home to come sit in the stands at Gillette Stadium.

"It's incumbent on us who own teams and own stadiums to make sure we're keeping it a compelling experience," said Jonathan Kraft, president of the Patriots and the Kraft Group. "We have to innovate."

Speaking yesterday at the annual meeting of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Kraft said those innovations will include being able to order and pay for food from a seat using the Gillette Stadium app and be notified when it is ready for pickup — all in the name of spending less time in line and more time watching the game.

He said the service will be rolled out stadium-wide in the next year or two.

"If you come to a Patriots game, you can sit in your seat, and do things you can't do at home," Kraft said.

Other convenience features in the app include being able to find the 
restroom with the shortest waiting time, and exclusive on-demand replays available only to fans in the stands.

Using technology to enhance the fan experience is growing in popularity, especially in Boston.
 At the beginning of the baseball season, Major League Baseball announced an update to its At The Ballpark app, which includes the ability to check in at the park, interactive maps and video highlights.

TD Garden, home of the Bruins and Celtics, is in the process of installing Wi-Fi throughout the arena.

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Southie’s D St. to have big outdoor arts space

A no-man's-land stretch of D Street in South Boston will be transformed into an interim outdoor space that could be used for art installations, concerts, pop-up restaurants — even Major League Bocce — under a $1.1 million plan the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority has approved.

The so-called "D Street Laboratory" will open in late July or early August on approximately two acres across from the Aloft and Element hotels, which are scheduled to open by the end of next year, said Terence Burke, an authority spokesman.

"This is an eyes-wide-open experiment," Howard Davis, director of capital projects, said at an MCCA board meeting yesterday.

The authority is paying HR&A Advisors $200,000 for the concept and the design, and Chris Wangro, another New York consultant, $50,000 to develop programming for the space.

Potential local partners include the Institute of Contemporary Art, Major League Bocce, Artists for Humanity, Make Music Boston and the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Wangro said.

The building of the "Lab" will fulfill a commitment to South Boston left over from the construction of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Burke said in an email.

The space will be a walkable connection to and from the BCEC, D Street and the hotels, as required under an agreement the MCCA has with their developer, he said.

The lab also will provide convention center users and the broader Boston community with the chance to try some outdoor concepts that might be integrated into the final design of the BCEC's proposed $1 billion expansion, Burke said.

"The plan is to operate the space for 18 to 24 months, try some things ... and then make some decisions about how to make it permanent as part of the expansion program," which the Legislature has yet to vote on, he said.

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Property of Hub Ponzi schemers will be sold off

The property of a convicted West Roxbury Ponzi schemer and his wife will be sold to recoup some of their $9.77 million in debt, the majority of which is owed to swindled clients.

Steven Palladino is at MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole after being sentenced in January to 10 to 12 years. He, his wife and son were ordered to pay restitution for convincing at least 33 people to loan Viking Financial Group millions of dollars with the promise of high returns that were never delivered.

Palladino and his wife, Lori, filed for bankruptcy last month, and Viking Financial followed suit last week. The Palladinos listed $1.15 million in assets and $9.77 million in debt.

"Anything having to do with the financial condition and the history of the financial dealings will be investigated by us," said Mark G. DeGiacomo, the court-appointed trustee overseeing the cases. The Palladinos' lawyer could not be reached for comment.

It's "way too early" to say whether defrauded clients will recoup any money, he said. Secured claims typically are first in line for distributions and total at least $304,929.

The Palladinos' cars likely will be auctioned next month. Court documents in the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission case against Steven Palladino and Viking Financial list a 2012 Mercedes, 2011 BMW, 2013 Audi, 2012 Range Rover, 1992 Chevy Corvette and 2004 F350 truck.

The Palladinos own homes in Roslindale and West Roxbury and a vacant West Roxbury lot assessed at a combined $1.09 million, and two time shares valued at $25,000, according to court documents.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in April charged Steven Palladino with 25 counts of criminal contempt for allegedly flouting an asset freeze and other court orders. He is accused of "lavish spending" and incurring thousands of dollars in credit card charges.

The Palladinos owe tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt in addition to $1,627 to Best Buy, $1,300 to Bloomingdales and $1,364 to Neiman Marcus, court documents state.

The couple claimed $70,000 in jewelry, and just $25 in cash and $150 in a checking account, but $613,379 has been held in a bank account with the Boston Police listed as trustee.

Palladino participated in the first meeting of his creditors by telephone from prison. "Some of the investors that were at the meeting had some questions," DeGiacomo said. "Not the 'why?' (or) 'how could you do this?' It was more ... just trying to figure out where the money went and where the assets are."

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Hot Property: Boston’s priciest home hits ceiling

The most expensive listing in Boston, the $13.95 million six-level townhouse at 74 Beacon St., was renovated to reflect the look of a Victorian-era Back Bay townhouse, but one tradition, the basement kitchen, didn't make the cut.

The mansion has just been put back on the market after the kitchen was moved from the basement to the first floor.

"It was a major reason why this property wasn't selling," said Tracy Campion, Boston's top broker in sales volume ($272 million last year), who has been brought on as a co-exclusive listing agent along with Brad Sprogis and John Neale, who originally brought the building to developer Peter Georgantas of Peg Properties & Design.

"Buyers want an open feel with the kitchen, living and dining areas on one floor," said Sprogis. "You're really seeing a move to a less formal style of living even at this level."

The new first-floor kitchen, with white macoubas quartzite counters and island, a La Cornue stove and custom Scandia cabinets, overlooks a private patio.

Transforming the 1828 gray granite townhouse overlooking the Public Garden into a single-family has been a lengthy process. Georgantas bought the property in 2007 when it was four apartments and it took three years to renovate it.

"We wanted it to feel like a historic single-family in Back Bay," said Georgantas, whose wife and business partner, Elizabeth, co-designed the interiors. "But it had to be crisp, clean and bright rather than overbearing, stuffy and Victorian."

A large, bright open living/dining area has quarter-sewn oak floors and custom white woodwork. The grand staircase, modeled after The Breakers in Newport, R.I., connects all 8,450 square feet of living space, plus there's a wood-lined elevator.

The fourth floor is made for entertaining, with a large media room/ballroom that opens onto a rear roof deck with views of Beacon Hill. And there's an oak-lined library, complete with a custom rolling ladder for the bookcases.

The sixth-floor rooftop deck overlooks the Public Garden, with an infinity edge lap pool.

The sumptuous master suite has silk wall coverings, custom dressing rooms and closets and a master bathroom with a clawfoot tub and an enormous glass steam shower.

There are five other bedroom suites and an additional five full and three half bathrooms, plus a private gym and a family room in the basement that opens to a private patio.

The home comes with a deeded garage space at the toney Brimmer Street Garage, along with a parking space behind the house.

After completion in 2010, the home didn't sell, so it was rented for $40,000 to $60,000 a month. But given the superheated luxury market, Georgantas said he now feels optimistic.

"Someone can buy this property that offers a sense of history as well as privacy," he said. "Or they can spend the money on a top-tier condo unit without much character that feels like a hotel."

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Foreclosures soar in March

Massachusetts foreclosure petitions took a sharp year-over-year turn up in March, ending 16 consecutive months of decline in petition filings, according to The Warren Group.

"The increase in percentage terms seems enormous, almost as though the flood gates have been thrown wide open," Timothy M. Warren, CEO of the market tracker, said in a podcast. "However, I see a number of reasons to be cautious about turning up the volume on the alarm quite yet."

In March 2013, only 283 foreclosure petitions were filed, which was 83 percent below the prior March, and much lower than February 2013, Warren said.

"So I'm going to suggest that perhaps March of last year was the real outlier in the data trends, more so than March of 2014," he said. "Nevertheless, 660 petitions filed in March of this year do represent a big increase in the current trend. For example, it is 50 percent higher than February."

Lenders are getting more aggressive with delinquent borrowers, Warren said.

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Asia stocks muted as China data, Wall St weighed

TOKYO — Asian stock markets were subdued Friday as investors weighed a fall in Chinese inflation against a negative cue from Wall Street.

China's inflation eased in April to 1.8 percent, a possible boost for stock markets since it gives Beijing more leeway to stimulate the slowing Chinese economy if needed.

In a sign of concern over possible job losses, Beijing launched a mini-stimulus in March based on higher spending on building railways and other public works but leaders have so far ruled out bigger efforts.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fluctuated between positive and negative territory. It was flat at 21,841.24 in afternoon trading.

The Nikkei 225 stock average, the major barometer for the Tokyo Stock Exchange, gained 0.3 percent to 14,199.59. Investors are waiting for more earnings reports, with Nissan and Sony due to release results next week.

Shuji Hosoi, senior strategist at Daiwa Securities Co. in Tokyo, said investors were satisfied that Toyota's results, released Thursday, were strong, with the world's top automaker reporting record profit for the last fiscal year.

But he said there was little other market-driving news to trade on leaving share prices in a stalemate.

"People are relieved about Toyota, but that's not enough for a major rally."

Elsewhere, South Korea's Kospi edged up 0.3 percent to 1,956.55, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3 percent to 5,460.80.

On Wall Street, shares finished mostly lower as investors assessed the latest batch of U.S. company earnings and sold utility and energy stocks.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 0.1 percent to 1,875.63. The Dow Jones industrial average edged up 0.2 percent to 16,550.97. The Nasdaq composite lost 0.4 percent to 4,051.50.

The big news in Europe's trading session was comments from the European Central Bank's president, Mario Draghi, who gave a strong hint that the bank may ease its monetary policy next month, sending the euro lower.

Stocks in Europe weren't affected too much by Draghi as the focus remained on a vow from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to maintain low interest rates. Germany's DAX rose 0.9 percent to finish at 9,607.40 and the CAC-40 in France added 1.4 percent to 4,507.24. Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.6 percent to 6,839.25.

Benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery was up 33 cents at $100.59 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The fell 51 cents to close at $100.26 on Thursday.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.3826 from $1.3842 late Thursday. The dollar rose to 101.72 yen from 101.62 yen.

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Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at twitter.com/yurikageyama

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Government says no need to park recalled GM cars

DETROIT — There's no need to tell owners of recalled General Motors small cars to stop driving them, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

In a written response to two senators who asked for such an order, Foxx said engineers with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have determined it's not necessary.

GM is recalling 2.6 million small cars worldwide to replace ignition switches that suddenly can slip out of the run position and shut off the engine. That can knock out power-assisted steering and cause drivers to lose control and crash. It also disables the air bags. GM says at least 13 people have died in crashes linked to the problem. The company has admitted knowing about the problem for at least a decade, yet failing to recall the cars until this year.

The company has told owners to remove everything from their key chains, and the reduced weight will stop the switches from slipping into the "accessory" or "off" positions.

Foxx, responding to a letter from Democratic Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, said NHTSA engineers have examined the geometry and physics of the key, ignition switch and steering column of the GM vehicles, and they have reviewed GM's testing data.

"NHTSA is satisfied that for now, until the permanent remedy is applied, the safety risk posed by the defect in affected vehicles is sufficiently mitigated by GM's recommended action," the letter says.

The safety agency, which is part of Foxx's department, has taken measures above and beyond normal procedures in the GM case, Foxx wrote.

The recalled cars include mainly Chevrolet Cobalts and Saturn Ions that are no longer being made. GM is in the process of shipping parts to dealers but has said it won't be done with that until October. The company is offering loaner cars to any owners with safety concerns and so far has provided about 45,000.

But Blumenthal and Markey disagree and say all the cars should be parked until the switches are replaced.

"We remain extremely concerned that GM and NHTSA are not doing enough to convey the seriousness of this defect to owners of the affected cars, unnecessarily putting more lives at risk," the senators said in a statement Wednesday.

They also questioned why GM's initial recall notice to car owners said the ignition switches could malfunction while driving over rough terrain "regardless of additional weight on the key ring."

Both senators are members of a subcommittee that is looking into GM's actions involving the switches. NHTSA and the Justice Department are also investigating, and criminal charges are possible.

GM has said it has done 80 different tests at high speeds and on rough roads, and that with just the key in the ignition, the switches don't move out of the run position.

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Stop & Shop going strong after 100 years

Stop & Shop customers can expect in-store specials and vintage product packaging starting later this month as the region's largest grocery chain marks its 100th anniversary.

"It's quite a milestone," said Stop & Shop New England president Joe Kelley, who's kicking off festivities today at the division's Quincy headquarters.

With 394 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey, Stop & Shop leads competitors with a 12.35 percent market share and estimated sales of $13.3 billion in 2013, according to the Griffin Report of Food Marketing. Walmart supercenters follow with 169 stores, a 10.03 percent market share and estimated sales of $10.8 billion.

"The competitive landscape is a bit tenacious … but ... we think we have the right format and right strategy to grow our organization," Kelley said.

Kelley declined to discuss expansion plans, but said the company "would love" to open a store in downtown Boston, where it would join Whole Foods, Shaw's and, soon, Roche Bros. in Downtown Crossing, Star Market at North Station and a Wegmans in the Fenway. Stop & Shop now has three Boston stores in South Boston, Dorchester and Mission Hill.

"If we could find a location that works, we'd be thrilled," Kelley said. "We would have been interested in the North Station site, just ... the timing didn't work out.."

For now, Stop & Shop is focused on its "value proposition" of new low prices, according to Kelley. "The majority of Massachusetts and Rhode Island is rolled out," he said. "Most of the South Shore launched last week."

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Asian stocks boosted by China trade, Yellen stance

SEOUL, South Korea — Asian stock markets were mostly higher Thursday after China's trade improved and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen vowed low interest rates would continue until the U.S. job market is healthy.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock index, the region's heavyweight, advanced 0.9 percent to 14,163.78 and South Korea's Kospi added 0.6 percent to 1,950.60.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.3 percent to 21,818.38 and China's Shanghai Composite gained 0.2 percent to 2,013.98.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.8 percent to 5,476.80 after employers added more jobs than expected last month.

Stocks in Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines also rose. But shares in Thailand were down one day after its constitutional court ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her job.

Yellen told lawmakers Wednesday that the U.S. job market is "far from satisfactory." She said the Fed will begin increasing interest rates only when there is enough progress in restoring full employment and when inflation is back up to its target of 2 percent.

Yellen's comments appeared to ease concerns that the Fed might move too quickly to raise interest rates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's softening tone in the confrontation with the West over Ukraine also lifted investor sentiment. Putin said Russia pulled its troops away from the border with Ukraine, although NATO and Washington said they hadn't seen indication of a pullback. Putin also endorsed plans for fresh elections in Ukraine following the ouster earlier this year of its pro-Russian leader.

Adding to the upbeat factors was China's April trade data that showed an improvement in exports. Exports rose 0.9 percent from the previous year, compared with a 6.6 percent decline in March. Imports also grew after a contraction in March but at a subdued level.

"While the data didn't shoot the lights out, it showed signs of a recovery and that's been enough to encourage some buying today," Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG, said in a commentary.

On Wednesday, U.S. stock markets finished higher, despite big losses in tech stocks, such as Twitter Inc. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 0.6 percent to close at 1,878.21. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 0.7 percent to 16,518.54.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq was the only major index to fall. It fell 0.3 percent to 4,067.67.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery was down 12 cents to $100.65 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.27 to close at $100.77 on Wednesday.

In currency trading, the euro rose to $1.3921 from $1.3912 late Wednesday. The dollar fell to 101.78 yen from 101.88 yen.

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Tech jitters, Ukraine weigh on world stocks

TOKYO — Jitters over the valuations of technology companies pulled stock prices lower from Tokyo to London on Wednesday.

European shares got off to lackluster start, with Britain's FTSE 100 down 0.3 percent to 6,776.65. Germany's DAX edged down 0.1 percent to 9,458.63 and the CAC-40 in France slipped 0.1 percent to 4,422.77.

U.S. markets were poised for a slow start after sharp declines the day before, with both Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures little changed.

Sinking Internet company shares, led by an 18 percent plunge in Twitter's share price Tuesday, added to negative sentiment from tensions in Ukraine, where pro-Russian militants are clashing with military forces in the country's unstable east.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 stock index sank 2.9 percent to 14,033.45 as the U.S. dollar's relative weakness against the Japanese yen hit exporter shares. It was the first day of trading in Japan after a long weekend.

Softbank tumbled 5.1 percent in Tokyo after Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba released some details of a planned U.S. initial public offering that analysts say could raise up to $20 billion. Softbank owns 36.7 percent of Alibaba.

Though the IPO is expected to net Softbank handsome returns, the recent slump in technology shares has shaken confidence.

"Whether the market reaction and the IPO valuation will be high or not is still the major concern," said Linus Yip, a strategist for First Shanghai Securities in Hong Kong. "The listing of Alibaba right now, may not be such good timing."

Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea's Kospi lost 1 percent to 1,939.88 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1.1 percent to 21,746.26.

Shares in Australia, Singapore, China, India and Taiwan fell while Indonesian and New Zealand shares edged higher.

In other markets, benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery was up 95 cents to $100.45 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 2 cents to close at $99.50 on Tuesday.

In currency trading, the euro slipped to $1.3919 versus $1.3928 late Wednesday. The dollar fell to 101.55 yen from 101.68 yen.

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