Pawsox Sold, Moving to Worcester

[RF1]

There is no way that another stadium project will be built at the Apex site in Pawtucket. It was already going to be a tough prospect to make the $38M investment work for a team that would play 70 home games there. The other sports options would play far less games making it far more difficult to justify. Single A short season baseball plays just 38 home games. MLS is even more of a reach with just 17 home games. The former Apex building will continue to sit mostly unused and further decaying as it has for the last fifteen years. It will stand as a gateway to the state symbolizing its ineptitude.

As for the owners of the Apex site, they deserve some blame for this as well. They were playing hardball demanding top dollar for the property even though the assessed value that they paid taxes on was a fraction of that number. Furthermore, there were no real takers for their property and even if there had been, there was no way anyone else would have ever considered paying close to what they wanted. Their demands made the project that much more difficult even raising the possibility of seizure via eminent domain. Hopefully, their next RE assessment is more in line with their perceived value and they pay far more in taxes.

The list of villains for this fiasco is long:

Larry Lucchino and greedy ownership which included URI alum Tom Ryan
Nick Mattiello - he is more responsible than any other politician
Most all RI politicians including Raimondo who supposedly supported the project (her opponents however would have done even less)
RI business leaders
Apex owners

Pawtucket Mayor Grebien seems to have been the only person that was really working hard to keep the team. He deserves credit for trying in spite of all the obstacles others put up.

[TruePoint]

https://deadspin.com/athletic-writer-th ... 1828420094

See, that's kind of a bullshit petty click-take by a Deadspin writer who's not super familiar with the situation. The headline looks good but McDonald is mostly right: the fact is Matiello's proposal was one that was politically expedient, but not practical (or even intended) to achieve the stated result. It basically amounts to theater in an attempt to absolve state officials of responsibility for this loss (at the polls). The goal was not to simply make an offer. The goal was to keep the team here. Everybody and his mom knows that the team/ballpark itself was not going to be a driving economic engine; in both Worcester and Pawtucket it was the public face/impetus for a larger project of urban renewal. This "article" is classic lazy hot-takery, with a sprinkle of "get with it, grandad" bullshit.

I'm a millennial and I hate this sort of millennial shit. It ain't journalism.

Deadspin has been a consistent critic of publicly funded stadia deals for privately owned teams. Professional sports teams generally print money faster than they can count it, and even when that isn’t the case (which in the PawSox case it probably isn’t), the owners are obscenely wealthy without exception. It is offensive that they come to the taxpayers with their hands out for money to build a stadium that they will turn into a profit center for their private interests.

I would have offered the PawSox this much taxpayer money:

IMO, Matiello’s proposal was far, far too generous.

[RF1]

https://deadspin.com/athletic-writer-th ... 1828420094

See, that's kind of a bullshit petty click-take by a Deadspin writer who's not super familiar with the situation. The headline looks good but McDonald is mostly right: the fact is Matiello's proposal was one that was politically expedient, but not practical (or even intended) to achieve the stated result. It basically amounts to theater in an attempt to absolve state officials of responsibility for this loss (at the polls). The goal was not to simply make an offer. The goal was to keep the team here. Everybody and his mom knows that the team/ballpark itself was not going to be a driving economic engine; in both Worcester and Pawtucket it was the public face/impetus for a larger project of urban renewal. This "article" is classic lazy hot-takery, with a sprinkle of "get with it, grandad" bullshit.

I'm a millennial and I hate this sort of millennial shit. It ain't journalism.

Deadspin has been a consistent critic of publicly funded stadia deals for privately owned teams. Professional sports teams generally print money faster than they can count it, and even when that isn’t the case (which in the PawSox case it probably isn’t), the owners are obscenely wealthy without exception. It is offensive that they come to the taxpayers with their hands out for money to build a stadium that they will turn into a profit center for their private interests.

I would have offered the PawSox this much taxpayer money:

IMO, Matiello’s proposal was far, far too generous.

You then must be absolutely thrilled that the state contributes so little to URI athletics.

[Puck Frovidence]

Deadspin has been a consistent critic of publicly funded stadia deals for privately owned teams. Professional sports teams generally print money faster than they can count it, and even when that isn’t the case (which in the PawSox case it probably isn’t), the owners are obscenely wealthy without exception. It is offensive that they come to the taxpayers with their hands out for money to build a stadium that they will turn into a profit center for their private interests.

I would have offered the PawSox this much taxpayer money:

IMO, Matiello’s proposal was far, far too generous.

It's a fair point, but still your state and one of its municipalities are going to end up collectively giving the (admittedly dirtbag) owners a sum that far exceeds the RI proposal. And although it is irksome and unfair for these types of stadiums to be partially subsidized by taxpayer money, that's the way the game seems to be played these days. "Winning the argument" by not shelling out to Luccino is still going to result in real job losses, real tax revenue losses for the state. It's all well and good to tell the owners to go pound sand, but where does that leave Pawtucket and the Slater Mill project?

I'm not a fan of lining rich owners' pockets with taxpayer money, but clearly there are plenty of locations that will and they will apparently reap some reward for that. At least in the short term. We will see how attendance in Worcester is in a few seasons once the immediate shine wears off and the BoSox come back to earth bringing prices at Fenway down.

[TruePoint]

See, that's kind of a bullshit petty click-take by a Deadspin writer who's not super familiar with the situation. The headline looks good but McDonald is mostly right: the fact is Matiello's proposal was one that was politically expedient, but not practical (or even intended) to achieve the stated result. It basically amounts to theater in an attempt to absolve state officials of responsibility for this loss (at the polls). The goal was not to simply make an offer. The goal was to keep the team here. Everybody and his mom knows that the team/ballpark itself was not going to be a driving economic engine; in both Worcester and Pawtucket it was the public face/impetus for a larger project of urban renewal. This "article" is classic lazy hot-takery, with a sprinkle of "get with it, grandad" bullshit.

I'm a millennial and I hate this sort of millennial shit. It ain't journalism.

Deadspin has been a consistent critic of publicly funded stadia deals for privately owned teams. Professional sports teams generally print money faster than they can count it, and even when that isn’t the case (which in the PawSox case it probably isn’t), the owners are obscenely wealthy without exception. It is offensive that they come to the taxpayers with their hands out for money to build a stadium that they will turn into a profit center for their private interests.

I would have offered the PawSox this much taxpayer money:

IMO, Matiello’s proposal was far, far too generous.

You then must be absolutely thrilled that the state contributes so little to URI athletics.

No, it’s actually the exact opposite. URI isn’t owned by wealthy business men that can afford to fund their own operations but are too cheap and too greedy to do so. URI is deserving of investment in all the ways that professional teams aren’t. And not only is URI deserving, the state would actually see a return on its investment in URI, whereas the only ones that benefit from state investment in a billionaire’s hobby is the billionaire.

[theblueram]

At least Kraft paid for Gillette Stadium himself. This proposal was ridiculous from the start.

[rhodyruckus]

In my view, the stadium was secondary to an urban renewal. The state continues to pour how many millions into the RICC and Dunk improvements for a relatively stable economic area (how much "new" local revenue is created from these costs?) as opposed to downtown Pawtucket which sits vacant. My family lived up the hill for most of my my childhood and I can't overemphasize how far downtown has fallen in terms of business and activity.

Grebian was standing guard at the Alamo but this is basically the state deserting Pawtucket. Well, this is a micro test-case for what would happen if the US auto and finance bailouts never happened.

[RF1]

In my view, the stadium was secondary to an urban renewal. The state continues to pour how many millions into the RICC and Dunk improvements for a relatively stable economic area (how much "new" local revenue is created from these costs?) as opposed to downtown Pawtucket which sits vacant. My family lived up the hill for most of my my childhood and I can't overemphasize how far downtown has fallen in terms of business and activity.

Grebian was standing guard at the Alamo but this is basically the state deserting Pawtucket. Well, this is a micro test-case for what would happen if the US auto and finance bailouts never happened.

It is the second time in the last year that the state deserted Pawtucket. The news of the Pawsox move comes less than one year after the Memorial Hospital closing. The State let Care New England deliberately sabotage the state's 4th largest hospital off loading many procedures to its other local hospitals and then complaining that patient admissions were down. The state failed to hold hospital management accountable and actually later helped them fast track the closing back in December. For those unfamiliar with the former location of the hospital, it was just four blocks away from McCoy Stadium down Pond Street. Two nearby huge facilities that were once important assets of the city could soon be vacant. Add this on to the rumors of Hasbro desiring a new consolidated HQ campus elsewhere and it does not paint a pretty future.

Almost all economic development money in RI goes to one city - Providence. State politicians do little for other communities and their neglect causes further decay. If Pawtucket schools ever need to be taken over or the city faces bankruptcy some day, the decline of its tax base due in part to inaction by the state will be a factor.


This is a good read from the Pawtucket perspective:
Pawsox leaving: On the streets of Pawtucket, anger, sadness and resignation
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/2 ... esignation

[rjsuperfly66]

In my view, the stadium was secondary to an urban renewal. The state continues to pour how many millions into the RICC and Dunk improvements for a relatively stable economic area (how much "new" local revenue is created from these costs?) as opposed to downtown Pawtucket which sits vacant. .

I don't think much is created by way of "new" revenue, but I do think it gives those sites the ability to remain competitive in bidding for future events (NCAA Tournament's, RICC events, etc.). It's estimated that in Providence in 2016 the city earned an additional $3.5 million just in economic impact from the NCAA Tournament being hosted at the Dunkin Donuts Center. I think it's success has allowed the city to remain competitive in it's bidding attempts -- if you remember, Providence had previously hosted in 2009 before hosting again in 2016. They will next host in 2021, and attempted to host in 2017 (and was a finalist) after everything that had occurred in North Carolina, but lost that bid to Greenville, SC.

Frankly, I believe the city/state should have put a more competitive offer together to keep the team in Providence, not Pawtucket. There is more activity between restaurants and the mall -- similar to a mini-Fenway where fans going to a game have plenty of options to eat or shop within a 5 minute radius of the stadium. If you went up to McCoy, you were committed to the ballpark for the evening. Same would be true of the Apex site. The winners of that is the team who profits off the concessions.

[RF1]

In my view, the stadium was secondary to an urban renewal. The state continues to pour how many millions into the RICC and Dunk improvements for a relatively stable economic area (how much "new" local revenue is created from these costs?) as opposed to downtown Pawtucket which sits vacant. .

I don't think much is created by way of "new" revenue, but I do think it gives those sites the ability to remain competitive in bidding for future events (NCAA Tournament's, RICC events, etc.). It's estimated that in Providence in 2016 the city earned an additional $3.5 million just in economic impact from the NCAA Tournament being hosted at the Dunkin Donuts Center. I think it's success has allowed the city to remain competitive in it's bidding attempts -- if you remember, Providence had previously hosted in 2009 before hosting again in 2016. They will next host in 2021, and attempted to host in 2017 (and was a finalist) after everything that had occurred in North Carolina, but lost that bid to Greenville, SC.

Frankly, I believe the city/state should have put a more competitive offer together to keep the team in Providence, not Pawtucket. There is more activity between restaurants and the mall -- similar to a mini-Fenway where fans going to a game have plenty of options to eat or shop within a 5 minute radius of the stadium. If you went up to McCoy, you were committed to the ballpark for the evening. Same would be true of the Apex site. The winners of that is the team who profits off the concessions.

No surprise you defend the indefensible given its many benefits to PC.

The DDC was far too much public money for such a project. No other funding than the state of RI was involved. 100+M dollars. It is no way generates enough revenues from its books to have justified the cost. An NCAA weekend once a decade is laughable as justification. Economic impact is all associated business and in no way comes close to generating the needed tax dollars for repayment of the bonds.

Also more BS about everything in RI should be located in Providence. What about the other cities and towns? Don't they pay state taxes? Must nearly every dollar of their tax money used for economic development go to one city? Should every town outside Providence be neglected and destined to decay without any state investment?

I know this will not change your mind. You already got what you wanted with an upgraded arena at no real cost to the school. It has now allowed PC to use capital funds to allocate elsewhere as is being done with the building of the new Ruane Center for hoops. PC has really benefited from the public welfare it has gotten from state taxpayers. Amusing to see some of comments on the PC boards who think the Pawsox Stadium deal (with the majority being paid by private owners to the tune of 45M) was a bad deal for taxpayers. Seems they are either very forgetful or math is not taught at PC as 38M in public money (along with 45M in private investment) is a far better deal than 100+M in public money for the DDC. Even URI, a state institution, had to come up a great majority of funding for the Ryan center as the state only contributed about 1/3 in public funds. Many PC fans are total hypocrites.

[rjsuperfly66]

What happened almost 15 years ago happened almost 15 years ago -- I'm not going to sit here and argue about the state's impact in the DDC/RICC project and whether it was a good deal or a bad deal. I'm talking about what's going on here and now, you aren't going to change what already happened.

Going forward at this point, I would rather the state invest in a booming area than a dead area when it comes to resources that are value-add to consumers... I would rather be able to go to a game in an area where there are plenty of things to do and possibly "make a night of it," rather than go to a place where all there is is the game. A stadium alone is not going to fix economic impact in Pawtucket. In fact, it was practically the last domino standing.

I'm not saying to let the area decay and should a nice business opportunity come up, I would love to see the state invest in that. But these areas in Pawtucket simply are not "consumer" friendly -- and by that I mean there is no room/area to build up a strong block or two restaurants, bars, and shops that fans can frequent before or after game, nor should they for AAA baseball. But Providence can organically offer that without having to make any changes so with that I'm ok with them building up that area.

McCoy has tried to give a Yawkey Way vibe in front of the stadium, but you can't just throw a bunch of police barricades in a circle and add a live band and think you are creating value for fans.

Further, I'm not sure if you are married or have kids, and if you do I'm sure you understand how hard it may be to balance out multiple interests in a night out at the ballpark. Pawtucket made that basically impossible.

[theblueram]

What happened almost 15 years ago happened almost 15 years ago -- I'm not going to sit here and argue about the state's impact in the DDC/RICC project and whether it was a good deal or a bad deal. I'm talking about what's going on here and now, you aren't going to change what already happened.

Going forward at this point, I would rather the state invest in a booming area than a dead area when it comes to resources that are value-add to consumers... I would rather be able to go to a game in an area where there are plenty of things to do and possibly "make a night of it," rather than go to a place where all there is is the game. A stadium alone is not going to fix economic impact in Pawtucket. In fact, it was practically the last domino standing.

I'm not saying to let the area decay and should a nice business opportunity come up, I would love to see the state invest in that. But these areas in Pawtucket simply are not "consumer" friendly -- and by that I mean there is no room/area to build up a strong block or two restaurants, bars, and shops that fans can frequent before or after game, nor should they for AAA baseball. But Providence can organically offer that without having to make any changes so with that I'm ok with them building up that area.

McCoy has tried to give a Yawkey Way vibe in front of the stadium, but you can't just throw a bunch of police barricades in a circle and add a live band and think you are creating value for fans.

Further, I'm not sure if you are married or have kids, and if you do I'm sure you understand how hard it may be to balance out multiple interests in a night out at the ballpark. Pawtucket made that basically impossible.

I would rather the state invest in higher education once again and keep tuition affordable. The slant on student loans by politicians is laughable, since they caused the unaffordable tuition.

[rhodyruckus]

Going forward at this point, I would rather the state invest in a booming area than a dead area when it comes to resources that are value-add to consumers... I would rather be able to go to a game in an area where there are plenty of things to do and possibly "make a night of it," rather than go to a place where all there is is the game. A stadium alone is not going to fix economic impact in Pawtucket. In fact, it was practically the last domino standing.

I'm not saying to let the area decay and should a nice business opportunity come up, I would love to see the state invest in that. But these areas in Pawtucket simply are not "consumer" friendly -- and by that I mean there is no room/area to build up a strong block or two restaurants, bars, and shops that fans can frequent before or after game, nor should they for AAA baseball. But Providence can organically offer that without having to make any changes so with that I'm ok with them building up that area.

Really, invest in an already booming area? If it brings such a high rate of return, the PawSox owners would want to buy the property and build the park themselves (maybe that state kicks in a few million for surrounding infrastructure improvements).

If I'm investing public money there needs to be something with more possibility of impacting the greater good than a 99th restaurant opening within that square mile of Providence. All things being equal I'd rather put the money towards direct development of affordable housing, schools, helping the homeless and opiod issues...or god forbid not spending the money and lowering taxes (LOL). But if the money is going to be spent on a politically expedient project I at least want a Hail Mary's chance of improving an entire district/city.

[hrstrat57]

Pawtucket needs to regroup and inmediately reach out to MLB clubs re moving a AA or A level minor league franchise to McCoy.

Also would be interested in hearing how Lowell feels about AAA Red Sox moving into Spinners territory.

[RF1]

Pawtucket needs to regroup and inmediately reach out to MLB clubs re moving a AA or A level minor league franchise to McCoy.

Also would be interested in hearing how Lowell feels about AAA Red Sox moving into Spinners territory.

Pawtucket would need the Woosox to sign off. I think minor league baseball would want a team at McCoy given the existing stadium, longtime support, distinct media market, and large metro. In fact from what I have read somewhere, Providence, the 39th largest MSA metro area in the US would be the highest population metro with no MLB associated team should a replacement not be found.

There have been some rumors about a lower level team replacing the Pawsox if they moved but some of Larry Lucchino's comments have me worried. He mentioned that Worcester and Pawtucket were in the same territory and the team was staying in just moving from one end of the Blackstone Valley to the other. He said he hoped RI fans would follow the team up Route 146. Further, in a bit of an admission to Worcester being a much smaller market than Providence/Pawtucket, said that they will make the team much more of a regional team.

I myself do not think many from the Providence/Pawtucket market will ever support the new Woosox team in appreciable numbers. There will be lingering bad feeling for some time. Worcester is also a foreign place for most Rhode Islanders and the state's residents are notorious for not traveling long distances, especially something approaching an hour. All this may however not matter if Lucchino wants to play hardball and demand territory exclusivity for his team. He may feel he needs it given the much lower population within the immediate Worcester area. I myself have strong worries that Larry the Snake will not care to do what is right for the baseball fans of RI. He has already showed that.

[RF1]

As a Pawtucket native, the loss of the Pawsox hurts. I can recall going to games back to my childhood and was there for the end of the 33rd inning of the longest game ever played in professional baseball. The GM of the team once lived a few houses away from me. Many of my freinds worked at the stadium during their high school and college years. It has been an integral part of the city for some 45 years.

As a URI hoops fan, I can't but help liken the loss of the Pawsox to Hurley leaving the Rams. Both left for supposed greener pastures close by in a neighboring state making it all that much worse. It further reinforces the feeling that RI somehow can't keep good things. It is destined just to be used in the further pursuit of more money elsewhere.

[CHICO 78]

For all intents and purposes the Pawsox died the day Ben Mondor's widow sold the team to the Larry Lucchino led
group. Ben Mondor's mantra for so many years was to provide affordable entertainment to the families of Rhode
Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. He kept ticket prices and refreshments low so working class people could
afford to come to the ball park. Lucchino's group was all about maximizing the profit they could generate period.
PERIOD!!! They had no interest in sacrificing a single penny to make anything available to anybody unless it served them.
Ben Mondor was a unique individual and Rhode Island was Lucky to have him and his team for so long. I am sorry to
see them go but the New Pawsox( Woosox) were destined to move to wherever they could get the most for the least
investment.

[Ramulous]

I'm with Chico.....I don't like multimillionaires leveraging sports teams for government funding of their ballparks....if it's a good investment let private sources fund the building....and that's true for major league level sports.....the argument for government funding is even worse for minor-league sports....they are not income generators to local economies.....most patrons eat snacks at the park in my opinion....they don't go to restaurants and taverns before and after the games....

I also don't like public subsidies or tax deals for residential projects like the huge Fane Tower trying to get built in Providence.....I have no problem with it's size like so many neighbors have.....let it be built 200 stories for all I care.....there should be no public funding or tax breaks.....you think there will be low and moderate priced apartments there?...If not we are subsidizing a rich builder who will sell or rent to rich renters or buyers but at a lower price.....we are helping the poor rich people....

...If it makes economic sense it should rely on private money...the building trades just want to build things....let them build schools instead....and safe grandstands for the State University....

[RF1]

Future of McCoy site uncertain
Baseball? Soccer? Corporate campus? Officials ponder use of Apex land, too
By Patrick Anderson Journal Staff Writer

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ ... 0820101443

[theblueram]

If the state can't fund the University at least 30% to reduce in-state tuition, I refuse to approve of any public/private initiative they conjure up.

[ramster]

Providence Journal - Mark Patinkin: How Rhode Island lost the PawSox

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/2 ... ost-pawsox

[STC]

Interesting read....

https://deadspin.com/the-stadium-scam-g ... 1828896356

[RF1]

Interesting read....

https://deadspin.com/the-stadium-scam-g ... 1828896356

“I think Worcester just really, really, really, really, really wanted a baseball team. I think the city council and the mayor and the city manager had a gigantic inferiority complex, and they wanted to create an identity for the city, and didn’t care what it cost them.”

What Worcester officials needed, then, was a way to paint the stadium deal as one that pays for itself—or, at least, as something where the numbers are hazy enough that it could be interpreted that way. And that’s where the mixed-use development came in: Forecasting ancillary impact stuff is a mess, and you can predict anything (within reason) and squint hard enough and justify your conclusion. And if that makes the resulting economist battles he-said-she-said—or he-said-everybody-else-said—that’s sort of the point.

“This is a convenient dodge for any municipal government engaging in these sort of things,” says West Virginia University sports economist Brad Humphreys. “There’s not much evidence about the effectiveness of these targeted redevelopment projects that go along with mixed-use retail/residential projects.” That’s a good thing in one way, he says: At least it’s encouraging sports venues to be built with more than a sea of parking lots around them. “But whether the ancillary stuff is going to pay for the subsidy, that’s a pie in the sky claim that has no evidence to back it up.”

[Puck Frovidence]

Providence Journal - Mark Patinkin: How Rhode Island lost the PawSox

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/2 ... ost-pawsox

Excellent piece.

[Ramulous]

I like the fact that Raimondo takes the heat for losing the team to Worcester, from every other candidate for governor, and they were all opposed to any state money being used to keep them here....

I personally don't want any public funds going to a group of wealthy owners for their projects....be it a ball park or a 55 story luxury apartment tower.....let private industry fund it....

I am for money spent on new schools in our cities and towns and for buildings and safe sports venues at our state colleges and universities....not private universities or colleges....

[TruePoint]

I like the fact that Raimondo takes the heat for losing the team to Worcester, from every other candidate for governor, and they were all opposed to any state money being used to keep them here....

I personally don't want any public funds going to a group of wealthy owners for their projects....be it a ball park or a 55 story luxury apartment tower.....let private industry fund it....

I am for money spent on new schools in our cities and towns and for buildings and safe sports venues at our state colleges and universities....not private universities or colleges....

Exactly, ramulous. The average Rhode Islander is not very sophisticated when it comes to policy issues, which is why the same people can complain about state spending AND that the state screwed up by “letting” the PawSox leave by not using taxpayer money to build a stadium that would cost tens of millions of dollars for a bunch of billionaires. The same Rhode Islanders would also act like it were a scandal if the state helped URI upgrade Meade, even though the state ostensibly has a stake in URI. It’s a beautiful state, but it is backwards as hell.

[RF1]

Some of the fault for the Pawsox move falls on Raimondo. While she supported the bill crafted one year ago, she kept some distance and was not out in public STRONGLY pushing it and shepherding it through. There were no major state leaders that championed this process. Only Pawtucket Mayor Grebien stepped forward. The lack of needed state-wide leadership support hampered the effort to keep the team.

It is however laughable and total hypocrisy for any of Raimondo's opponents to attack her on this subject since nearly all of them (Brown/Fung/Morgan/Trillo) opposed the original Pawsox bill with most of them against any public funding. Had one of them already been governor, the Pawsox would have announced over a year ago they had ZERO intention of staying and there would have been no further negotiations.

[rhodyruckus]

Good article above: my feeling is in the end, the representatives and Mattiello in particular didn't want to put in the political will and take the effort to explain to their constituents why this wasn't a fleecing. It was a lot easier to say "no public guarantees" and issue a proposal which was doomed from the start. Of course, the owners had such a bad-faith original Providence proposal that they didn't endear themselves to Rhode Islanders either.

I think Gina does come out looking good in this telling of the story and it will be somewhat misguided for Fung to try and pound either issue: "Gina lost the PawSox" or "Gina was going to make a bad deal to keep them". But, we all know sometimes how "informed" RI voters can be so who knows what they'll react to...

[ramster]

I felt this early on when most thought Worcester had zero chance of getting the PawSox. Never underestimate the Rhode Island Government to do the wrong thing.

From the article...................
Which brings me to another astonishing aspect of the bungled negotiations.
Not once, not a single time, did the main political players here — Gov. Gina Raimondo, Mattiello, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien — sit down together to talk with the team about what could work for everyone.
Pires confirmed this, and added — amazingly — that Raimondo and Mattiello had a rift at the time and weren’t even speaking to each other.
As Pires observed incredulously: “You can’t have the speaker and governor not talking and conduct business.”


https://www.providencejournal.com/news/ ... -pawtucket

[RF1]

While most all RI politicians share some blame, Speaker Mattiello was the biggest reason the Pawsox went to Worcester. This section from the Projo article says it all:


The deal was turned into a State House bill, and Senate finance chair Bill Conley began a heroic job vetting and selling it in hearings around the state. But even as Conley worked, the man who ruled the House side of the chamber — Speaker Nicholas Mattiello — was derailing things.

Mattiello met with team leaders and, according to Pires, told the PawSox he was flat-out against the bill.

Taken aback, PawSox chairman Larry Lucchino asked what he was supposed to tell his fellow owners.

According to Pires, here is what the speaker said:

“Tell them I’m an [expletive].”

[RhowdyRam02]

It was plainly obvious that Mattiello was the biggest issue. It's an embarrassment that Cranston re-elected him

[RF1]

It was plainly obvious that Mattiello was the biggest issue. It's an embarrassment that Cranston re-elected him

Given how he runs the House as his own personal kingdom, it was more of an embarrassment that the reps re-elected him Speaker.

[RhowdyRam02]

It was plainly obvious that Mattiello was the biggest issue. It's an embarrassment that Cranston re-elected him

Given how he runs the House as his own personal kingdom, it was more of an embarrassment that the reps re-elected him Speaker.

Insert Why Not Both meme here

[Taylor Swift]

It was plainly obvious that Mattiello was the biggest issue. It's an embarrassment that Cranston re-elected him

Given how he runs the House as his own personal kingdom, it was more of an embarrassment that the reps re-elected him Speaker.

"Personal kingdom". SPOT ON!

[ramster]

Pawtucket and RI looking for options

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/ ... oy-stadium

[ramster]

Polar Park project expanding from original scope

https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/04/24/m ... velopment/

https://www.masslive.com/worcesterredso ... adium.html

[RF1]

I guess developers have already quickly determined that there is not sufficient demand for a hotel. My guess is that this project and its cost will change much from what was originally first unveiled at its announcement last august.

[ramster]

Actually two hotels will be built

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/ ... r-new-park

[ramster]

Actually two hotels will be built in the first phase totaling 250 rooms

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/ ... r-new-park

[ramster]

Sad story

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/ ... leadership

[RF1]

Screw the Pawsox. I will never go to a game in Worcester, even though it is a city I have many connections to. My first allegiance is to my birthplace. I expect that the team will be pretty much dead to RI once it makes this move. Rhode Islanders are bitter about the loss and are well known for their aversion of driving far, especially to a city foreign to them in a different state. Worcester will for the most part have to create a new fanbase. The city and team will have their work cut out for them as nearly everything in MA is focused toward Boston. Worcester has struggled in the past to build support for minor league teams having lost two AHL in succession just in the last 15 years. The lone D1 college athletics team (Holy Cross) in the city and its surrounding county also struggles to get anyone to its games.



The perspective from the team's Pawtucket home yesterday also seems to mirror my take that existing longtime fans won't be following the team to Worcester:

PawSox fans bitter as Worcester breaks ground on a new stadium
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode ... story.html

[STC]

Good riddance to the PawSox. A new stadium was going to do nothing to revitalize Pawtucket. It was a dump with the PawSox and will be a dump long after the PawSox are gone. Cities and states cannot continue to be held hostage by billionaire owners for public funding for there palaces, albeit a minor league palace. Although I believe Rhode Island lost the PawSox more because of incompetence from our elected officials rather than a San Diego Chargers situation.

[ramster]

The article by Patinkin is clear as to how R.I. lost the Paw Sox.
A shame really
Just like the Providence School System, and other School Systems
RI just in the news as the worst state for starting a business.
Last one to move out of state turn out the lights.

[RF1]

Good riddance to the PawSox. A new stadium was going to do nothing to revitalize Pawtucket. It was a dump with the PawSox and will be a dump long after the PawSox are gone.

Pawtucket will not get better if the state continues to neglect it. There is little investment by the state in Pawtucket and other struggling towns and cities in RI. Nearly every cent goes to Providence with little regard for elsewhere. The state of RI continues to ignore Pawtucket and will do so at its peril. If the city continues to decline, businesses and residents with any means will flee. The tax base will decrease and the city will surely get worse. Not exactly the first image RI should want as people enter the state from MA on Route 95. Furthermore, if things continue as is and get really bad, the state will have to step in and spend far more money down the road for a takeover of the city or its schools.

The state did nothing to help the city keep Memorial Hospital open. It allowed owner Care New England to deliberately sabotage the finances of one of the state's largest and oldest hospitals (approx 300 beds and founded in 1894). Ownership stopped doing many medical procedures at the hospital referring patients to its other locally owned hospitals and then had the audacity to use falling patient numbers and resulting impact on finances as a reason to close. The state did nothing and the hospital ceased operations within 75 days of a close notice. I cannot recall a hospital of this size ever closing in such record fast fashion. The state through its politicians and regulators stood by and did nothing to keep it going instead actually helping facilitate its end.

The lack of state leadership also caused the loss of the Pawsox. If a stadium deal had been struck a year earlier, the team would have stayed. It would not have given Worcester the opportunity to put together its taxpayer welfare gift to team ownership. The original Apex site deal would have required the team to contribute the majority ($45M of $83M cost) of the cost for a publicly owned stadium. It was a far better deal (RI $23M and Pawtucket $15m) for RI taxpayers than the 100M state investment in the Dunkin Donuts Center by the state some decade earlier. The DDC purchase and renovation had no private investment yet sailed through with little to no discussion or opposition. Even its major cost overruns garnered little attention with more state money allocated as it went on.

Pawtucket now looks like it will lose another one of its major assets - Hasbro. The firm has been in Pawtucket for nearly 60 years as a major employer. It however would like to consolidate all its corporate operations into a single site as it is presently spread out between 3 locations in Pawtucket, E Providence, and Providence. Since Pawtucket is nearly 100% built out, it does not provide a lot of options for such a complex. State leaders have come out in public that they will work to keep the company in RI. They however have made no commitment to that being in its longtime home of Pawtucket. In the end, Hasbro will probably get state incentives for a facility elsewhere in RI. The sad irony is that the taxpayers of Pawtucket will end up monetarily contributing to departure of the Hasbro.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Ah....so, things are looking good in the Bucket (not)?! Will be heading out there Weds nite to see the PawSox.

[RF1]

Ah....so, things are looking good in the Bucket (not)?! Will be heading out there Weds nite to see the PawSox.

Pawtucket while having many recent major setbacks does has a few positive things happening.

The biggest of these is the $47M dollar MBTA Commuter Train Station/RIPTA bus hub which should be fully completed by 2021-2022. The feds are providing most of the funds contributing some $38M toward the project. The new intermodal transportation center will be located in the recently formed Conant Thread District which is a former industrial area along the Amtrak tracks near the border with Central Falls. There are many old mill structures in this area with some having already been renovated into residential lofts with more of this type development anticipated with the impending station. This district also is the location for the Isle Brewers Guild and Tap Room which houses the Narragansett Beer Corporate offices and produces beers for 8 micro brewers.

In addition to the Guild referenced above, Pawtucket has also become a center for brewing with three other facilities located throughout the city - Smug, Foolproof, and Crooked Current.

Many loft conversions are also occurring around the city outside the Conant Thread District. Many other large mills have or are being further redeveloped such as Hope Artiste Village and American Wire Lofts.

The city has increasingly become home to more in the arts. High rents in Providence has resulted in many artisans moving to Pawtucket and taking up business residence in its many old mill structures.

While employer Hasbro might be moving, Collette Travel & Tours continues to expand its presence in the city now employing some 450 with the recent opening of its fourth building in the area between the Blackstone River and Route 95 near the state line.

The city is anxiously awaiting extensions of the Blackstone River Bike Trail right along the river in the area around Collete and Tolman High. There has been a dedicated trail planned for some time but the state has continually delayed the project.

The renovated Armory Arts Center next to Tolman is doing well these days. While it may have recently lost the Gamm Theater which operated in its annex, the main building which has the old drill hall is booking many events ranging from beer festivals, wine tasting, cooking shows, model train shows, and several furniture and arts sale shows.

The old Narragansett Park Plaza on the East Providence line is now seeing reuse after much of it had been vacant for some time. Work has already started there to create a mixed use lifestyle center. Carpionato is planning to develop 118,770 square feet of office space, 72 residential units, 240,770 square feet of retail/restaurant space and one drive-through restaurant.

It was also just announced this week by Mayor Grebien that an announcement of the future use of McCoy Stadium will be announced in September. Several proposals were submitted for the stadium including continued baseball. Interestingly, one proposal is for a MLB affiliated (AAA/AA/or A) franchise with some of the current Pawsox ownership involved.





Conant Thread District
https://www.conantthread.com/

The Guild
http://www.theguildri.com/

Hope Artiste Village (home to the MET, Indoor Wintertime Farmers Market, and Break Time Bowl)
https://hopeartistevillage.com/

Break Time Bowl
https://www.rimonthly.com/bowling-break/


American Wire Lofts

[RF1]

Regarding the future of McCoy Stadium after the Pawsox:


Tamburro says baseball bid in hands of the state
http://www.valleybreeze.com/2019-07-16/ ... S88Hnt7m70

[RF1]

Polar Park costs increase - Worcester, Sox work out ways to cover added expenses
https://www.telegram.com/news/20200110/ ... d-expenses

WORCESTER — Construction costs for Polar Park have increased by $9.5 million over initial estimates, while costs to acquire the properties needed for the ballpark, relocate businesses and prepare the site for development have run roughly $20 million more than what was anticipated.

My guess is the next shoe to drop will be that it will not be ready by the targeted April 2021 opening date.

[Rhody74]

Polar Park costs increase - Worcester, Sox work out ways to cover added expenses
https://www.telegram.com/news/20200110/ ... d-expenses

WORCESTER — Construction costs for Polar Park have increased by $9.5 million over initial estimates, while costs to acquire the properties needed for the ballpark, relocate businesses and prepare the site for development have run roughly $20 million more than what was anticipated.

My guess is the next shoe to drop will be that it will not be ready by the targeted April 2021 opening date.

Some RIers were bitching and moaning when the PawSox decided to leave. I think we dodged a bullet.

[UCH21377]

is anybody surprised by this?