R.I. mayors rally to keep toy maker Hasbro in area

Pawtucket, R.I. (AP) — Two Rhode Island mayors are calling on Gov. Gina Raimondo and state lawmakers to help prevent toy maker Hasbro from leaving the area.

Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and Central Falls Mayor James Diossa said Wednesday that after the closure of Memorial Hospital and the loss of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, their cities cannot endure another major economic hit.

Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc. employs about 1,000 area residents, but announced last month it anticipates laying off a percentage of its worldwide workforce after poor third quarter results.

A Hasbro spokeswoman says the company is in the process of evaluating several options for updating corporate headquarters, including finding a new corporate campus in the Pawtucket area.