PAWTUCKET – Hasbro Inc. is again considering moving its headquarters out of the Ocean State.
In a statement Monday, a representative of the global toy and game giant that has been based in Rhode Island for over a century said the company may relocate its corporate operations.
“As Hasbro continues to evolve, we’re exploring options for our global headquarters to make sure it is a space that can best serve our employees, partners, and business needs for years to come,” said chief communications officer Roberta Thomson. The statement followed a report by Boston Business Journal that the company has been exploring office space in Boston.
As for potential locations the company is now considering, Thomson said while, “It’s early in our explorations,” Boston is “the most likely option right now.”
Hasbro last year announced it was laying off roughly 1,100 employees globally and departing its 135,400-square-foot office building in downtown Providence after its lease expires in January 2025. The company at the beginning of the year employed approximately 1,400 in the Ocean State, according to PBN's 2024 Book of Lists.
Thomson insisted, however, that Hasbro is not looking to leave its Rhode Island history behind but is committed “to building on it.”
“We’re taking our time, evaluating all options that can best support our team's creativity and innovation, and will share updates on our progress,” she said.
Hasbro in 2018 also publicly acknowledged it was considering a new location for a more modern headquarters near its Pawtucket location, less than a mile from the Massachusetts state line.
“We are in the process of evaluating several options for contemporizing our corporate headquarters, including finding a new corporate campus,” Hasbro spokeswoman Julie Duffy told Providence Business News in 2018.
Monday's revelation comes on the same day that Chris Cocks, Hasbro Inc. CEO and president, was the
headline speaker at this year’s Economic Outlook Luncheon hosted by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce at the R.I. Convention Center.
The Chamber did not immediately respond to PBN's request for comment on Hasbro's potential move, which was not discussed during the luncheon.
Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien also did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
(SUBS FIFTH paragraph with local employee count.)
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
