Will his bid take off at Logan?

When the executive at Boston-based New England Development travels through Logan Airport, he probably can’t help but be reminded of the one that got away. Nearly two decades ago, McGinn’s firm unsuccessfully bid on the rights to oversee Logan’s commercial real estate. Airmall and Westfield won instead, each of them landing two of Logan’s four terminals.

Now, the Massachusetts Port Authority is putting the business out to bid again. And this time, Massport wants one concessionaire to be the landlord for all four terminals. McGinn says the New England Development arm that he leads, MarketPlace Development, will definitely submit a bid.

McGinn declined to discuss the specifics of his team’s vision for the terminals. McGinn and his team’s architect, Elkus Manfredi principal David Manfredi, joined a recent Logan tour that Massport held for prospective bidders to learn more about what the agency wants. Representatives from Airmall and Westfield were there — as were about 150 other executives, many of them from other potential rivals, such as HMSHost, Hudson Group, Delaware North, and OTG.

The bids are due in mid-November, with a decision from Massport expected in early 2017.

McGinn said he hopes Massport can be persuaded to pick MarketPlace Development this time around, in part because of the extensive experience the company has gained in airport management since it last sought the Logan biz.

“What we’ve been able to achieve over the years at Philadelphia and the two Washington [D.C.] airports really gives Massport a substantial track record to look at,” McGinn says.

This Logan concessions contract could be the biggest one to become available in the US airport business this year. McGinn knows the competition should be fierce. But he hopes that his firm’s familiarity with Boston and New England gives it an edge with Massport, which specifically called for a bid that showcases the region’s local character.

“We know this town,” McGinn says. “There’s really no learning curve.” — JON CHESTO

So last month’s devastating earthquake in Italy was an emotional gut check for Pallotta, who’s using his charitable resources to help: he’s rallying AS Roma’s year-old nonprofit, Football Cares, to raise money for victims.

Founded to address the global refugee crisis, it’s an online auction site that lets football fans donate to humanitarian groups like the International Rescue Committee, Red Cross, Save the Children, and UN Refugee Agency.

At Saturday’s “Festa della Famiglia” friendly match between AS Roma and San Lorenzo, which will be played at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, all receipts will be donated to Emergenza Terremoto Centro Italia, an earthquake relief fund.

Pallotta — who began his career at Boston’s Essex Investment Management Company, became managing director of Tudor Investment Corp. , and founded the Boston investment firm Raptor Group — said the teams debated canceling, but “decided it would be better to contribute all proceeds towards those coping with the serious emergency in central Italy.”
— SACHA PFEIFFER

A group that’s fighting to make recreational marijuana legal in Massachusetts had to cancel a fund-raiser last Sunday at the Harvard Club on Commonwealth Avenue, after failing to attract enough interest.

Former congressman Barney Frank had been scheduled to speak, along with Representative Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon — one of four states where recreational pot is now legal.

Blumenauer apparently also had to cancel, to get home for a family medical emergency.

Meanwhile, the folks at “Yes on 4” — who were selling $250-a-head tickets to support a November state ballot question — neglected to tell Frank until the last minute the event had been scrapped.

“Sundays in August are not optimum times to do events in a big city,’’ Frank said. He was annoyed enough that he doesn’t want to talk to the organizers for a couple weeks. But he still supports the cause.

“I think the public is ahead of the politicians, who are afraid of appearing soft on crime,’’ Frank said. “There are people who disapprove of it because of some moral code. In America today you can’t make something illegal just because you don’t approve of it.”

Frank also called the country’s drug laws “the single worst example of racial unfairness in law enforcement — both in who gets arrested and the length of sentences.”

Yes on 4 spokesman Jim Borghesani said the group sold 20 tickets to the event, which was geared to the medical industry. One person asked for a refund.

“We’re deeply grateful for Congressman Frank’s support and we apologize for the delay in communication regarding the event cancellation,’’ Borghesani said. “It’s regrettable that we didn’t get the response necessary to make the event a success.”

Governor Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and other political leaders have opposed legalizing marijuana in the state.

Massachusetts voters approved medical marijuana usage in 2012.
— BETH HEALY