Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com • Worcester Business Journal • 2021 Economic Forecast 27 Growing your business and creating value isn't easy. Today, there are more barriers than ever before. Let S&G show you how to maximize your company's financial performance and get you where you want to be— personally as well as professionally. We have the knowledge, technical expertise and experience to get the job done. Combine that with our Awesome Service Guarantee - our commitment to customer care and personal attention - and you'll see why S&G has become the partner of choice for so many winning organizations. • Value Growth Planning • Business Exit Planning • Business Transition Planning • Business Operations Consulting • Accounting & Tax Services • Financial Services • Retirement Planning It isn't always easy seeing where you need to go. Let S&G guide you to growing your business and creating more wealth and value. Set up your no-obligation initial consultation today. We'll Help You See What Others Can't Worcester • Framingham • Hyannis 508-757-3311 www.sgllp.com Let S&G Help You Grow Your Business and Create More Value. WooSox stadium construction halted until at least May 4 Originally published April 2. Construction on Polar Park is temporarily sus- pended in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Worces- ter City Manager Edward Augustus announced in a press conference on Wednesday. Work was halted on the $132-million public base- ball stadium as of noon on Wednesday, with crews remaining on location to secure the site. "By the end of business on Friday, the site should be secured until May 4 or otherwise instructed," Augustus said. It was not immediately clear how the temporary work stoppage would impact the project's strict time- line, which aims to have the stadium ready for the Pawtucket Red Sox to move into the city by opening day in April 2021. In a statement, the Worcester Red Sox said the health of the community, country and world were of the utmost importance, and they believed the con- struction suspension was the right move. "We want nothing more than for Polar Park to be a point of pride for the people of Worcester and the Commonwealth — including the many local skilled construction workers who are putting their heart and soul into this ballpark," the team said. Under negotiation: Worcester yet to finalize PawSox deal or obtain deed for ballpark property Originally published Sept. 15. For the full version, visit WBJournal.com. More than two years aer Worcester city officials announced the Pawtucket Red Sox were moving to the Canal District, there is no formal lease agreement legally obligating the team to come to Worcester. And about six months before the minor league baseball team is scheduled to begin play in a new $132-million public stadium, the city government still doesn't own the property on which its ballpark sits, even as construction on the project is well underway. Also, the city has no binding agreement with Boston developer Madison Properties to build a $125-million mixed-use project just outside the ball- park, which the city is relying heavily upon to create new tax revenue to allow the city-owned Polar Park to pay for itself. While this lack of formal agreements is unusual and behind schedule, they don't mean the PawSox aren't moving to Worcester or the mixed-use project won't happen, especially because the team, the city and the developer all have been very vocal and public about their commitment to the massive develop- ment. e PawSox, for example, held three Worcester ceremonies in the span of one week in August — two for construction milestones and another to unveil the jerseys the team will wear aer it moves. However, the lack of signed documents does give the PawSox and Madison negotiating power over the city, at a time when the construction costs are over budget and the coronavirus pandemic coupled with economic uncertainty calls into question the near- term viability of the surrounding development. W

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