The Triple-A Int'l League Pawtucket Red Sox and city have agreed to a proposal for a new $73M ballpark on the property of Apex Companies downtown, with the PawSox committing $45M for the "construction costs and the proposal including no public subsidies from the city or state," according to a front-page piece by Jonathan Bissonnette of the PAWTUCKET TIMES. The state's $23M portion would be "paid for and exceeded by revenues generated by the ballpark, ballclub, and project," while Pawtucket would contribute up to $15M, a "large portion of which would be to secure the Apex parcel, and would also be paid for by ancillary development." PawSox President Charles Steinberg touted the deal as having "no burden to the ordinary taxpayer." The ballpark would be "city-owned and the PawSox as part of the deal have proposed to commit to remain in Pawtucket for a 30-year extension" through '50 (PAWTUCKET TIMES, 5/17). In Providence, Kate Bramson in a front-page piece notes the 30-year deal is structured with $45M from the PawSox for ballpark construction, including an early $12M cash outlay and $33M from revenue "generated by the team over the next three decades at the ballpark." PawSox Chair Larry Lucchino said that the team has "agreed to pay any cost overruns" for ballpark construction costs. Essentially, the team is asking the state to commit about $1.2M each year and to "approve the bonding by the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency." Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said that she "supports the proposal because the deal seems to 'pay for itself.'" However, two groups "immediately attacked the plan as bad for taxpayers" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 5/17).
LARRY'S LEGEND: In Boston, Jon Chesto writes at this point in Lucchino's long career he could retire and "leave a lasting legacy: the modern, urban ballpark that brought the fans closer to the action." His baseball accomplishments "include the building of Camden Yards in Baltimore, bringing a new downtown park to San Diego," and then joining the ownership team with John Henry that bought the Red Sox and ended its World Series drought. However, Lucchino "isn’t ready to hang up his glove." The PawSox "have all the ingredients for a Lucchino makeover: steep declines in attendance and an aging McCoy Stadium badly in need of replacement." Moreover, the PawSox are asking for $23M in public funds from a "once-troubled state stung by a failed investment in another high-profile private business, Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios video game company." Lucchino said, "Nothing is easy about Rhode Island politics ... [but] the fact I can stay very busy and take on some meaningful challenges helps one’s aging process" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/17).
