KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Maybe they should move them to Boston and let them finish the Bosox season. Couldn't be worse.

ramfan85 wrote:Maybe they should move them to Boston and let them finish the Bosox season. Couldn't be worse.

+1

Pawtucket’s McCoy Stadium endangered for no good reason
New Pawtucket Red Sox owners plan to move south to Providence. But a trip to the stadium that still sparkles is enough proof that baseball can survive in Pawtucket. July 2, 2015 | 3:42 PM 07-02-15
By Eric Wilbur
Boston.com

https://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/ ... ts_main_hp

Let's hope RI politicians follow the lead of those in MA and not blink to extortion. MA basically would not commit to a blank check to finance the olympics. There were many unknowns and much risk for MA taxpayers. The stadium proposal that has been put forth by the new owners of the PawSox has many similarities. The taxpayers are being asked to assume all risk and there is also a lack of transparency involved with the process where all details are not being shared.

What do you expect from ego-maniacs who have basically cast out a net to dupe politicians and citizens who usually do the duping to advance their own agendas? The new owners made an investment and investment means risk. They took it, so let them post 100% to build their dream stadium and the State assumes the cost for road improvements…..
On the other hand, invest the money in McCoy, invest in improving the surrounding area and improve Pawtucket.
Then again, sell the team to the public in shares, a la the Green Bay Packers, make their profit move on, screw others in some new venture, and let the new shareholders figure it out.

Keep McCoy. Upgrade it for a fraction and keep the Providence land available for full-time, full-year tenants who will draw high paying jobs to the capital city.

The state could upgrade McCoy, rebuild Meade Stadium to the 2001 design and build a smaller concert venue like Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston for a fraction of what the PawSox owners want. And would get more revenue in return for that expenditure.

The biggest farce was, the new ownership telling the public it would cost 68 million dollars to renvovate
McCoy.
When the Mayor of Pawtucket challenged them to show the public what could possibly
have cost that much, the results were crickets.
Now, Paiva Weed came out today and said that the parking garage was no longer part of their plan.
Whoopdie, doo!
Watch this boondoggle get approved out of the blue, due to some back door dealing to screw
the taxpayers, and Pawticket.

Huge breaking news!
Larry Lucchino will be stepping down from his position in October.
The main snake in the Sox organization, could mean the end of the
back room arm twisting on the BS project..
I hope.

I thought I read he was still going to be involved with the pawsox stadium. Don't quote me though.

The Providence Preservation Society has come out against the proposed PawSox relocation site


http://www.ppsri.org/pawsox-ballpark

So have the strip clubs in the area. They feel it will lower property values.

12 Reasons Why the PawSox Move to Providence is in Peril
Tuesday, September 08, 2015
Kate Nagle, GoLocalProv News Editor

http://www.golocalprov.com/news/12-reas ... s-in-peril

Warwick Mayor proposes 3 sites in his city for PawSox

http://wpri.com/2015/09/08/warwick-mayo ... he-pawsox/

The Wahsox

I guess Post Rd. traffic isn't backed up enough.

ramfan85 wrote:I guess Post Rd. traffic isn't backed up enough.

It's not like traffic is good in Pawtucket on a game day, or near Gillette when the Patriots play, or near Greatwoods / Tweeter / whatever it's called now... Unless you put a stadium in the middle of nowhere, traffic is always an issue, and most municipalities, states or the feds aren't going to sign off on a bunch of infrastructure for a stadium in the middle of nowhere.

I have kind of changed my feelings on the Pawsox moving though. If they want a bunch of money for a new stadium or upgrades, I'd only be willing to do it if the team stayed in Pawtucket. Providence is kind of on the upswing right now anyway and wouldn't need the infusion of stadium money, and I'd prefer to see the area near McCoy improved instead. (Note: I do still consider public money for stadiums a boondoggle anyway, but if they MUST do it, then I'd prefer to see the money used in Pawtucket vs. Providence.)

i don't know what you mean it takes me 40 minutes to get home after i leave work at Gillette, oh wait not everyone has the employee lot that puts us right on 140

twisted3829 wrote:i don't know what you mean it takes me 40 minutes to get home after i leave work at Gillette, oh wait not everyone has the employee lot that puts us right on 140

Are you the deflator???? Lol

Nah, twisted strikes me as more of a steal the playbook from the opponents locker room type guy.

I think hes a player

I think all the news in recent weeks basically confirms that the deal for a stadium at the initially proposed site in Providence is not likely to go forward any time soon.

Federal Government wants fair market value for designated park land which is desired site
Brown wants either high rent for its land or will sell at high cost
Lucchino visits alternate Victory Place site in Providence
Warwick Mayor again floats his city as site when it appears Providence plan is faltering
Speaker Mattiello does not call for a special session and he concedes deal is in trouble

Interesting move by Warwick Mayor to sneak in now.
Already have hotels with plans for more
Airport expansion currently in place
Train station now in place
Could end up keeping team in RI

The odds are better they stay in Pawtucket than move to Warwick.

You think so? So would Pawtucket build a new Stadium? Still have the parking problem.
Also depends on who offers the most Tax Breaks.
Interesting that Warwick put up 3 different options so the Mayor is being aggressive.

ramster wrote:You think so? So would Pawtucket build a new Stadium? Still have the parking problem.
Also depends on who offers the most Tax Breaks.
Interesting that Warwick put up 3 different options so the Mayor is being aggressive.

They supposedly want out of Pawtucket because they want to be in a big city where there is a lot going on. Warwick is not that. Moving to Warwick also puts them further from much of the their ticket buying customers located in MA. Putting it miles south of Providence will turn many of these people off.

This news makes Providence less likely

http://www.providencejournal.com/articl ... 150919765/

Good

Wish these money bags would open their own coffers and revitalize or vitalize the area of Pawtucket in which the team now calls home, if they did it right it could be a real win win, but all these "ownership groups" love to sap public funds on the threat of moving the teams away. It's just another ruse, I'm glad Rhode Island is still in shock from the 38 studios thing because our politicos are unwilling to slide this by, like they may have a few years ago.

This is not over. Lucchino is just going to start looking elsewhere.

UCH21377 wrote:This is not over. Lucchino is just going to start looking elsewhere.

You are right in that it is not over. My guess is that the next step will be to try to find another parcel of land close to downtown. This piece is now out and the alternate Victory Place lot at 95/195 was joust bought making it unavailable. Options in Providence are dwindling. There does not seem to be another city offering boatloads of cash to build a stadium. I also do not think ownership wants to move the team out of the metro Providence market. The odds are increasing that they might actually stay at McCoy.

No chance they stay in Pawtucket.
Odds are RI has lost the AAA Team
I was for the team going to to Providence location but obviously I was in the very smallest minority

In many cities the minor league stadium is a treasured site. They will have Marathons and other races either start, finish or both at the stadium. Imagine participating or going to watch family or friends complete an event entering their own home town stadium? Red Sox minor league stadiums in Greenville and in Fort Myers were built to replicate Fenwat complete with Green Monsters. No reason the AAA stadium couldn't be built the same way.
Raimondo shut down Providence negotiations no doubt gaining much currency from RI voters and the huge majority opposed to the stadium.
Horrible job by both sides to try to arrive at a workable solution. Too much burden on the taxpayers by greedy sox owners.
Red Sox and Rhode Island in a lose - lose conclusion.
A shame.
Montreal already bring mentioned as a front runner.
Best shot is for the Warwick mayor to come forward. Eloza and Raimondo appear to care less.

Quonest with a water-view….Easy traffic access, everything's in place.

Quonset is not a bad idea.

ATPTourFan wrote:Quonset is not a bad idea.

Quonset is too far from the Boston area and doesn't suit the corporate crowd which this new ownership appears to be marketing themselves to.

Montreal has no chance. It will be near Boston just as the the A Lowell Spinners and AA Portland Sea Dogs are.

Yeah, Montreal isn't on the table. They're not front runners for the PawSox, they're in line to be a major league market again.

RF1 wrote:

ATPTourFan wrote:Quonset is not a bad idea.

Quonset is too far from the Boston area and doesn't suit the corporate crowd which this new ownership appears to be marketing themselves to.

Montreal has no chance. It will be near Boston just as the the A Lowell Spinners and AA Portland Sea Dogs are.

Yeah, just another 12 miles from Providence. Too far for the limo crowd, I get it.

Also, "economic development" is the buzz phrase, yet there is already a Quonset Economic Development Board -- one which works (!) -- in place.
Build it, the New Mini Fenway, and they will come.

I like the idea of a ballpark in Providence.....but let private investors pay for it 100%...I don't mind the govt. making some infrastructure improvements......but I don't like giving in to extortionists who demand public money...if the choice is giving in to extortionists or losing the team to another state, I say let them go......

bressler3south wrote:
Yeah, just another 12 miles from Providence. Too far for the limo crowd, I get it.

Further from downtown Providence than McCoy and much further than the greater Boston market tan either Providence or Pawtucket. I really doubt they move much further south than Providence. Much of their fans come from north of Pawtucket.

RF1 wrote:

ATPTourFan wrote:Quonset is not a bad idea.

Quonset is too far from the Boston area and doesn't suit the corporate crowd which this new ownership appears to be marketing themselves to.

Montreal has no chance. It will be near Boston just as the the A Lowell Spinners and AA Portland Sea Dogs are.

It's not all about proximity. The Greenville Drive is very successful for the Red Sox - Complete with Left Field Green Monsta.
Red Sox are testing the waters in Montreal with scheduling next year. Montreal may want a major league team but highly unlikely they get another chance, so they could settle while they wait for a AAA team.
But for RI it's over. Nobody stepping up, and actually Raimondo knows the toxic public sentiment associated with this. The ghost of shillings studio is powerful. Worst thing is RI lost its biggest supporter unfortunately in Skeffington. The fat lady has sung for this team. Odds to,keep in RI have never been as low as they are now. Nobody is championing the effort.

Sox are not testing Montreal, they are scheduled to end the exhibition games against the Blue Jays who have played their last 2 exhibition games in Montreal the last few seasons

Montreal? Like Woonsocket?

Is there room in the Gillette Stadium complex?

not really, it's about as big as it can unless he goes across route 1

Seawrightspostgame wrote:Montreal? Like Woonsocket?

You have a problem with Woonsocket???

I think a lot of people in baseball realize Montreal fell apart due to a perfect storm of a terrible stadium in a time of new stadiums throughout the game, poor ownership including one of the worst owners in all of sports (Jeffrey Loria) at the end of their time, a poor currency valuation compared to the US Dollar, and a time when the game was never less competitive in terms of the have and have not teams. When most teams had new stadiums to enjoy coming out of or just after the 94 strike and could come back to the game, especially after the home run chase, Montreal was left with the shit sandwich I outlined above and the thoughts of what might have been in the 94 season. They were 6 games up on the Braves and were stacked with 5 all stars (P Ken Hill, C Darrin Fletcher, SS Wil Cordero, and OF's Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom). They also had Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker and Cliff Floyd.

The currency situation will always be an issue for Canadian teams, and it would remain to be seen how the ownership situation would shake out, but for any team to be put in Montreal they would obviously have a new stadium and right now is probably the era of the most parity in MLB. Selig would never have considered having a team in Montreal because that would have highlighted many of his mistakes, but new commissioner Manfred wants more international teams, is open to MLB returning to Montreal, and the Montreal mayor seems to be giving the political support that the Expos never previously enjoyed. Frankly I think a team would be very successful up there, and I can't wait to go up to Montreal this spring for the games against the Blue Jays.

RhowdyRam02 wrote:

Seawrightspostgame wrote:Montreal? Like Woonsocket?

You have a problem with Woonsocket???

I think a lot of people in baseball realize Montreal fell apart due to a perfect storm of a terrible stadium in a time of new stadiums throughout the game, poor ownership including one of the worst owners in all of sports (Jeffrey Loria) at the end of their time, a poor currency valuation compared to the US Dollar, and a time when the game was never less competitive in terms of the have and have not teams. When most teams had new stadiums to enjoy coming out of or just after the 94 strike and could come back to the game, especially after the home run chase, Montreal was left with the shit sandwich I outlined above and the thoughts of what might have been in the 94 season. They were 6 games up on the Braves and were stacked with 5 all stars (P Ken Hill, C Darrin Fletcher, SS Wil Cordero, and OF's Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom). They also had Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker and Cliff Floyd.

The currency situation will always be an issue for Canadian teams, and it would remain to be seen how the ownership situation would shake out, but for any team to be put in Montreal they would obviously have a new stadium and right now is probably the era of the most parity in MLB. Selig would never have considered having a team in Montreal because that would have highlighted many of his mistakes, but new commissioner Manfred wants more international teams, is open to MLB returning to Montreal, and the Montreal mayor seems to be giving the political support that the Expos never previously enjoyed. Frankly I think a team would be very successful up there, and I can't wait to go up to Montreal this spring for the games against the Blue Jays.

Jonah Keri's book on the Expos gets into the decay of the team, and he brings up many of thse issues. Loria is also commonly portrayed completely as a villain, when in actuality, his role is more nuanced. He started as a minority owner who took over majority ownership because the other owners - the team was split 5+ ways - refused to answer cash calls for things like "let's keep Vladamir Guerrero!" One of the other owners wanted to trade Guerrero, which Loria blocked. Keri's book is a really good read - interesting stories on the 1980s teams, which were marred by drug usage and injuries, and how the 1994 strike hurt the Expos more than anyone else.

When it comes to the Pawsox moving, well, I'll believe it when I see it. Fenway Park was also supposed to be demolished before the current owners bought the team. I think they overplayed their hand with the Providence deal, and just assumed the city would be willing to subsidize a new stadium. Now, MA cities are showing interest, but they also don't want to offer funding. Worcester and Springfield mayors want the team, but don't want to pay for it either: http://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-baseball ... story.html

Thanks for the tip, that book sounds awesome, I'll have to check it out.

Problem with Woonsocket? I don't. I thought I saw french connection.