Worcester Business Journal

6 Worcester Business Journal | September 3, 2018 | wbjournal.com BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer Dinners at Lock 50, retreats on Cape Cod, closed-door negotiations, lucky breaks & $101 million created Canal District baseball W orcester is about one month away from the City Council approv- ing construction of a $240-million stadium development to bring the Pawtucket Red Sox to the Canal District, but the coup for the city to lure the top minor-league affiliate of the historic baseball franchise from its long-time home has been about 15 years in the making. Aer a very public nego- tiation in the 1990s where Worcester felt like it was used as a pawn, the talks of the team moving to Central Massach morphed into smaller discussions ramping up in fits and starts whenever the team appeared to be questioning its commitment to Pawtucket. ose seeds eventually grew to fruition as Worcester officials used professional and closed- door discussions – and a lot more public money – to sneak through the window created by Rhode Island's hesitancy in approving financing for a new stadium. "I've lived here my whole life, and I've never seen the community so excited about anything," said Worces- ter City Manager Edward Augustus. The two-man discussions e first link in the thread of officially landing the team in Worcester began shortly before the PawSox agreed to a lease extension in 2005 with Pawtucket. Former Worcester City Councilor Phil Palmieri had brought the idea to the floor of the council chambers of snatching the PawSox from their Rhode Island home. A group from Shrewsbury wanted to take on that challenge, but the team ultimately agreed to extend their stay in Pawtucket through the 2020 season. Next came 2015, when the team was purchased by new ownership group headed by then-Boston Red Sox Presi- dent Larry Lucchino. Palmieri – dubbed "Mr. Baseball" by Mayor Joseph Petty on Aug. 17 when the PawSox announced their intentions to move to Worcester – again raised the issue on the council How the PawSox came to Worcester Both Worcester and the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate hope to grow upon the crowds that came out to Pawtucket for minor league baseball. Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket PHOTOS/MATT WRIGHT

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