Rhode Island House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello on Thursday said that two "significant financial hurdles are blocking" the Triple-A Int’l League Pawtucket Red Sox' plan to build a ballpark in downtown Providence, according to Kate Bramson of the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL. Mattiello pointed to negotiations with Brown Univ. over whether the school "will sell some land the team needs" as well as "economic incentives the City of Providence is seeking." Mattiello: "The PawSox is an issue that's just not ready, and it may never be ready to be addressed. I don't know if the ballpark is going to happen or not." He added that Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo "told him when they met Wednesday" that Brown's "most recent offer" was a proposal to sell for $10M. PawSox spokesperson Patti Doyle said that the team "remains focused on its primary objective -- to reach a renegotiated agreement with the state -- and she would not say when the team will decide if it's too expensive to proceed." Mattiello: "The City of Providence is looking for economic incentives in order to acquiesce to hosting the PawSox on that particular land, and that just might make the deal too expensive." Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza in a statement said, "The city cannot be out of pocket for a dime of the cost of building or operating a stadium on that site. Any proposal must include a dedicated revenue stream to ensure that it does not cost city dollars" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 9/4). Doyle said that the team’s focus "continues to be renegotiating an agreement with the state." The AP's Anthony & McDermott noted the team’s original proposal, asking for $120M in state subsidies, "died after facing public opposition" (AP, 9/3).
