It’s been a busy year for David Duffy and the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority. In March, the Authority sold the The Westin Providence hotel to The Procaccianti Group of Cranston, with a provision that the firm add 200 more hotel rooms to the hotel by June 2007. The tower project, which includes 103 luxury condominium units, breaks ground Sept. 8.
The General Assembly has authorized the Authority to purchase the Dunkin’ Donuts Center from the city of Providence and complete a $60-million, three-year renovation to restore its status as a premier athletics and events venue.
PBN: What will be the most significant improvements to The Dunk?
Duffy: Everything. Beginning with the emotional aspects, it will provide Providence and the state with a world-class, up-to-date, technologically innovative arena. I think with the growth of the renaissance in Providence, and particularly this area, the so-called Power Block (The Westin, convention center, The Dunk and Holiday Inn), it’s going to bring even more new life and excitement to the state. It will also allow us to generate more events that we can’t get now.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Engel & Völkers Oceanside Leader | The DiSpirito…
Learn More
PBN: Was there consideration to level The Dunk and build a new arena?
Duffy: It was fantasized, but a new arena would probably cost $150 million. And we believe for the $60 million, Rhode Island will get a state-of-the-art arena that will last a good 15 to 20 years.
PBN: Plans are to link The Dunk with the convention center. How will this, and the overhaul of The Dunk, complement the convention center?
Duffy: We know a connected Dunkin’ Donuts Center would do so much for us. For example, religious conventions: the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been in Providence many times before. They didn’t like (The Dunk) apparently, but now they can put 10,000 people in the main hall. They can stay now almost entirely under the same roof. We will have 546 rooms with the new 200-room (Westin) tower. The Holiday Inn is being converted to a Hilton, which upgrades that facility and that’s another 275 rooms. And the Masonic Temple, which is a half-block away from the Cheesecake Factory (at Providence Place), is another 271 rooms. So you’ve got about 1,110 rooms available. The Convention Center Authority has tested the Boat Show concept in both buildings, and therefore many more boats and displays can be had here. We’ll be connected now, and that show is in the winter, so bad weather won’t affect it anymore.
PBN: The Dunk project will reportedly begin this fall and take about three years. What can people expect to see happening there?
Duffy: We need to manage people’s expectations. We are currently undergoing what I like to call an administrative phase, which is going to take months before we can even touch the building. All this stuff needs to get done first. If we can get in there, I’m convinced that we can clean it up, particularly the restrooms. We can fix broken seats, and I’m not sure if we can do this, it depends on our conversations with our architects, possibly – and I emphasize possibly – get a new scoreboard up there. I think patrons will come into a cleaner, well-run atmosphere.
PBN: What are the events you’d like to see at the renovated Dunk?
Duffy: It will allow us to generate many more events that we can’t get now. Some examples are obvious: the NCAA has pretty much shut us off because of the deterioration of The Dunk. And just this month we were notified that we did not get the 2008 Figure Skating Championships – for several reasons. But one of the reasons was, while they liked our plans for the arena, they weren’t comfortable with when it would be done. But they did encourage us to apply again once we know the exact (construction) dates. Bryant University taught us this year that they can be a player in the national Division II Championship. We can apply to host that. It was in Fargo this year. We would do a better job. Also, given that this is a hockey area, we will go after everything related to men’s and women’s NCAA hockey. Maybe we will go after arena football. Maybe we will go after professional lacrosse. We have to, because of the cost (of the renovations), really eat through doors to enhance our marketing efforts.
PBN: What’s your fondest memory from attending events at The Dunk, previously known as the Civic Center?
Duffy: I’m a fan, and to see Providence College basketball make the jump to the Civic Center, which was the center of college basketball in terms of the best arena in Providence, was terrific. Nothing highlights it more for me than the Great Blizzard of ’78, five years after the Civic Center opened, when North Carolina (men’s basketball team), the No. 1 team in the country, was coming to play. North Carolina got the first plane that was allowed to land in the state. Because of the snow on the roads, thousands of people had to walk to the Civic Center for the game. I took 146 as far as I could, and then walked in. It was an unbelievable game where we upset the Tar Heels. Also in those days there was a Fleet Classic, hosted by Providence, in which you could bring in some of the top teams in the country. The atmosphere then for college basketball was big time, and that’s what sits with me.
