Interpretation of "who is doing the task" in different structures

Question

1. The majority of New Yorkers have also told pollsters they don't want to build a football stadium for the New York Jets on Manhattan's West Side, but Bloomberg is pushing hard for one anyway. (from Time)

The subject of to built is "the majority of New Yorkers", but I can understand that, logically, it will be some workers, not the majority of New Yorkers, that will do the task. So there is a difference between the understood subject and the agent.

Is that because of "want"？ If the editor simply say:

2. The majority of New Yorkers have also told pollsters they will not build a football stadium ...

Does it necessarily mean the New Yorkers will not themselves build the stadium？

I hope I explained myself clearly and any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

This sentence structure can understandably be a bit confusing. In this example, when referring to an entire population, it is not always important to consider who among them may be engaged in the action in question (building, in this case).

Some New Yorkers may be involved in the construction, but not necessarily. This sentence is simply saying that the opinion of many New Yorkers (a majority, greater than 50%) is that they do not want a new stadium to be built.

If the editor went with your second version, that would imply that New Yorkers collectively are exercising their authority and agency regarding what is to be built (or not built), as if it were an elective action (and all of them were partaking in the activity of building the stadium). It is similar to a sentence such as, "The majority of New Yorkers have also told pollsters they will not buy cheddar cheese this week."

Answer 2

1. The majority of New Yorkers have also told pollsters they don't want to build a football stadium ...

The subject of the that-clause is they; that has been omitted. From context, the pronoun they has antecedent majority. Hence, yes, the subject of to build is majority or the majority of New Yorkers.

The passage does not say or imply who the actual doers of the tasks are.

2. The majority of New Yorkers have also told pollsters they will not build a football stadium ...

Example 2 similarly does not say or imply who the actual doers of the tasks are.

There is no difference between they don't want to build and they will not build in the determination of the doers.