Statement from Mayor Grebien on PawSox

The PawSox do not make Pawtucket. Pawtucket made the PawSox

The city I am proud and honored to represent is made great by our resilient community and, no matter what challenge we face, Pawtucket will continue to move forward toward an even brighter future.

I know many of my neighbors in Pawtucket and throughout Rhode Island are struggling today with the sudden news of this treasured piece of the fabric of our community being ripped out of its rightful home.

While unclear if the Massachusetts subsidies are truly a done deal, no matter what Pawtucket will pursue other innovative ways to invest in our quality of life, as a community and with our fellow Rhode Islanders.

Our community has a strong history of persevering. And, together, we will forge ahead to a brighter tomorrow.

Up until Thursday night, and for the last three years, the City of Pawtucket and the State of Rhode Island had been working with the PawSox to keep this treasured institution, and the jobs associated with it, here in Pawtucket where they belong. Sadly, we had to learn through media reports, like everyone else, that the ownership group had decided to take our team and move it to Worcester in light of substantial subsidies provided by Worcester and the State of Massachusetts.

We, just like everyone else, including the taxpayers of Worcester and Massachusetts, wait anxiously to see something publicly related to this proposal. The Worcester process is unlike the highly vetted and transparent Rhode Island process that protected taxpayer. Though many details remain behind closed doors, where they were negotiated, we will take the weekend to digest the limited information that was released this afternoon and I will hold a press conference early next week to provide further comments and thoughts.