PROVIDENCE – If there is any love out there for a Providence ballpark for the Pawtucket Red Sox, the owners want it aimed at the state’s elected officials.
An email newsletter distributed Friday by the Baseball Rhode Island website, designed by the team ownership to promote the Providence stadium, asks supporters to share their opinions with General Assembly members.
“Friends, right now we are in constant communication with statewide elected officials, working to craft a new proposal to get a ballpark built on the banks of the Providence River. In the meantime, we need your support,” the statement said. “Please take a moment to contact your state senator and representative to tell them that the PawSox are important to you, and you want to see them play in a new, state-of-the-art ballpark in downtown Providence.”
The statement casts the request as a measure to keep the team in Rhode Island. “The Pawtucket Red Sox are the only AAA baseball team in New England, and it’s important to keep them right here at home in Rhode Island.”
The team initially requested a 30-year lease for the land in Providence, which is controlled by the Interstate 195 Redevelopment District Commission, along with state support that would have provided $4 million to the team each year for 30 years. The team also wanted a 30-year delay in paying additional taxes on the site to the city of Providence.
After the plan was criticized by state officials, including the I-195 commission, as asking for too much, the team owners have said they would return with another proposal.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor and Joseph Azrack, chairman of the I-195 commission, met last week with the PawSox owners to discuss the stadium proposal, according to Raimondo’s spokeswoman, Marie Aberger. Team officials also later met with General Assembly members.
“The governor reiterated that her priority is looking out for the taxpayers and setting the state on a path of economic growth,” Aberger said. “She made it clear that the plan must not place so much of the financial burden of the project on Rhode Islanders.”
More detailed follow-up discussions are expected in the weeks ahead, Aberger said, in an email.
The Providence City Council, for its part, on Thursday approved a resolution that formally invites the owners to attend a council meeting, to speak to them about the proposal and answer council members’ questions.
The team’s representatives have had discussions with the council president, but not the body as a whole, according to Ward 2 Councilman Sam Zurier, who represents part of the city’s East Side neighborhoods.
“It’s not for me to tell them what to do,” he said of the PawSox. “If they want to get [tax] relief from the City Council, I think it would behoove them to speak to us.”
It is not a big problem if the new owners of the PawSox move to Massachusetts. However, Governor Raimondo and Mattiello should make sure that the new location of the PawSox is greater than 40 miles from Pawtucket. Pawtucket will then be able to attract another Triple-A team to Pawtucket. Worcester is OK, Foxboro is not OK because it is too close to Pawtucket. Pawtucket has proven that it can support a Triple-A baseball team. The Syarcuse Chief’s, a Washington Nationals farm team, is averaging less than 4000 fans per game. 4 other Triple-A teams are averaging less than 7000 fans per game. If Worcester is chosen, Pawtucket will have a good chance of attracting a new Triple-A team to come to Pawtucket and Rhode Island. Lucchino should not be doing anything to prevent Pawtucket from getting a new Triple-A team. Lucchino should be asked if he is considering Foxboro.
Volvo just announced they are building a $500 million dollar manufacturing facility in South Carolina with a target of 4,000 jobs. South Carolina is providing $120 million in State subsidies.
That’s the same $120 million that the Skeffington group wants for moving the Pawsox to Providence. Actually since the 8 acres they want was to be used as a park AND more importantly as drainage for the area RI will be giving a greater subsidy since that drainage will have to come from another 8 acres.
Also the cost to taxpayers for the $30 million in improvements to McCoy remains with the taxpayers so it’s really $150 million and 8 acres of prime real estate for 140 jobs and $85 million in construction.
Do the math RI and cut your losses.