Administration in foul territory ?on Providence stadium issue

At the time, the replacement of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission members, including founding Chairman Colin P. Kane, seemed a signal Gov. Gina M. Raimondo generally wanted a more activist approach to developing the land.

What seems clear following the announcement that the new ownership group of the Pawtucket Red Sox has its eye on the riverfront parcel of land in the former Interstate 195 land for a new stadium, however, is that the changeover in the commissioners was in fact linked to a very specific project. And it also would seem to be a sign that old-style backroom negotiations are alive and well in the new administration.

The issue here is not whether a new, “state-of-the-art facility,” as Boston Red Sox President Larry Lucchino told The Providence Journal, would be a good thing for the city. It likely would be.

Of greater import is the fact that the new owners are presuming the land they covet will come their way despite being expressly in opposition to the plan for that land (public green space), a plan that was arrived at through a very lengthy and very public process involving the former commission members.

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It is also clear that James Skeffington and his co-owners had talks with the governor and/or her staff well in advance of the public presentation on this potential development.

Replacing the commission staff with people who one can only presume will back a repurposing of the land may be an expected action from the new sheriff in town. But short-circuiting public input into this significant change is not an acceptable way to operate for a new governor looking to change the way the state does business. •

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  1. ,
    Governor Raimondo and Mayor Grebien should be working together to keep the PawSox in Pawtucket. The key to keeping the PawSox in Pawtucket is increasing McCoy Stadium’s seating capacity to12,000 fans, upgrading the team locker rooms & other team facilities and making it easier for fans to get to McCoy Stadium. Funding to accomplish these goals would come from four sources over a period of five years: $500,000.00 each year from the state of Rhode Island, a $.50 surcharge on each ticket sold during the season ($350,000.00), $100,000.00 each year from the city of Pawtucket and a $250,000.00 donation each year from the Rhode Island Foundation.
    To make it easier to get to McCoy Stadium, Federal funding should be sought to upgrade the Providence & Worcester (P&W) rail right of way that parallels the George R. Bennett HWY in Pawtucket. A MBTA commuter rail connection from Boston to McCoy Stadium would become available. Federal funds should also be sought to build a bike path along this P&W right of way connecting the East Bay Bike Path to McCoy Stadium. East Bay fans could ride their bikes to see a game at McCoy Stadium.
    At the end of five years, the new owners of the PawSox would have a state of the art Triple-A stadium that could be reached by road, rail and bike path while saving 60 million dollars. The new owners of the PawSox would certainly accept this deal if it was presented to them by Governor Raimondo and Mayor Grabien.