Pawtucket Red Sox execs yesterday said that the team will now "field calls from other locales interested in building" the Triple-A Int'l League club a new ballpark, according to Kate Bramson of the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL. The PawSox said they have worked “cooperatively and exclusively” with Pawtucket and Rhode Island to keep the team in the city, but added, “The club promised such exclusivity through the state’s regular legislative session ending in June.” State lawmakers had "introduced legislation and agreed last week to consider" a ballpark deal during finance committee hearings in the fall. However, Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said that he "feared" the timing "might end the team’s thus-far 'monogamous' negotiations with the city and Rhode Island." Grebien’s spokesperson, Lauren Greene, last night "reiterated his commitment to taking the team 'off the market' and completing a deal to keep them in Pawtucket" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 7/6).
IF YOU BUILD IT: In Massachusetts, Brad Petrishen in a front-page piece reports Worcester officials are "in touch with the PawSox about the idea" of the team moving there. Many in Worcester have "floated" a 14-acre, mostly vacant brownfield site near Interstate 290 as a "perfect fit." Councilor-At-Large Morris Bergman said that he "believes many of his colleagues back courting the club to Worcester." But while there is "mutual interest and, many would argue, a natural fit between the PawSox and Worcester," there are "many unknowns standing in the way." The "principal barrier" is money. In their pitched deal with Rhode Island, the PawSox were looking for $23M from the state and $15M from the city. The Worcester city manager’s office and mayor’s office yesterday "declined to talk finances" (Worcester TELEGRAM & GAZETTE, 7/6). In Boston, Jordan Graham notes Worcester sent the PawSox postcards "signed by 10,000 residents asking for the team to come play in their city." But it remains "unclear what -- if any -- money Worcester or Massachusetts would be willing to put up" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/6). In Massachusetts, Bill Ballou reported there have been "'back channel' communications between the PawSox and Worcester officials, so some level of mutual interest has been established" (TELEGRAM.com, 7/5).
