Pawtucket’s stadium for all seasons
PawSox officials detail how park could be year-round draw
PAWTUCKET — The Pawtucket Red Sox earlier this week unveiled their proposal for a year-round public park inside a downtown ballpark at the Apex site on Main Street, echoing the “Park at the Park” that is seen outside of San Diego’s Petco Park, which was created by PawSox Chairman Larry Lucchino and PawSox President Charles Steinberg.
PawSox Executive Vice President and General Manager Dan Rea, in an interview with The Times on Wednesday, said that the combined experience of Lucchino and Steinberg in building ballparks and places where the public can gather has been invaluable. When the PawSox first approached the model of an “open park concept,” Rea said, they took a combination of different approaches. Not only did they consider the success of San Diego’s “Park at the Park,” but they also viewed similar projects seen in Minor League Baseball.
Rea cited Parkview Field, the home of the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps in Fort Wayne, Ind. and Spirit Communications Park, which plays host to the Class-A Columbia Fireflies of Columbia, S.C. as two locations in professional baseball that have implemented year-round public parks.
“We’ve seen those teams do a really nice job with an open park concept,” Rea said. He said that through their
research, they found that the Fort Wayne park hosts 700 non-baseball events per year. “When you hear that sort of model has done well, we say there’s no reason we can’t follow in their footsteps.”
“We’ve tried to diversify our non-baseball schedule here (at McCoy Stadium) but there’s a limit to what you can do,” Rea said, adding that members of the team’s front office have worked hard to fill the venue but have been “somewhat limited” by a “cap on what you can do.”
“With a good downtown highway-side location, there’s an opportunity to have a 12month venue that does special things for the city and state,” Rea said. He also said that a common criticism from some has been that the PawSox are looking to build “just a baseball park.”
“Our response is if we do this right, we can have it as a year-round asset and a prime venue,” he said.
The design concepts call for a replica of Boston’s Fenway Park at the Apex parcel, with the towers of Slater Mill and City Hall visible from over the leftfield wall – which would be designed to mimic Fenway’s renowned Green Monster. Interstate 95 would be seen beyond the rightfield fence and seating area.
Rea said that replicating Fenway Park in Pawtucket would prove beneficial for both fans and players. He said from an on-field standpoint, players who are developing would learn how to play caroms off the leftfield wall or how to handle a ball bouncing around the rightfield corner and be ready for the exact same dimensions when they’re called up to Boston.
For fans, he said, it has a unique look and feel that will provide a “distinctive look and home” for the PawSox.
PawSox officials earlier this week said their vision for a new downtown stadium would position it as a destination that would go beyond the 70-plus baseball games every spring and summer. When the PawSox are on the road, instead of a stadium that sits empty, they have plans for summer concerts, walks, riverside reading, picnics, and more.
The stadium’s rendering came from DAIQ Architects of Somerville, Mass., whose portfolio includes the expansion and renovation of Fenway Park, designing public spaces as part of the conversion of Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium into the Turner Field baseball complex, improvements and renovations at California’s Rose Bowl, and the multi-year renovation of Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium.
The “Park of Pawtucket,” as it was called in a media release earlier this week, would be open to residents for walks or jogs on the playing field’s dirt warning track. People could also dine on lunch on the outfield berm or from atop the leftfield wall, which team officials say would offer birds-eye views of the field or downtown Pawtucket. Exterior park benches situated along the Blackstone River and its Falls would also be a destination for lunch, reading, or to enjoy a serene setting.
The ballpark’s interior would also be open to the public, as members of the community would be welcome to stroll the concourse, admiring local art, plaques discussing the city’s history and its role in the American Industrial Revolution, or baseball artifacts that are currently on display in McCoy Stadium’s suites.
The team also envisions offering space for children to play after school or on weekends in a “Pawtucket Playground.” In the chilly winter months, while snow piles on the ground, the stadium could host a skating rink for children’s ice time or for teams to use for special events.
The benefit to building a park on the Apex site, Rea said, is that it falls in line with Mayor Donald R. Grebien’s call for the evolution of the city and his 2020 downtown development vision. He said that the organization has been “inspired” by the mayor’s efforts, saying they recognize the positive changes happening in and around downtown.
From the arrival of companies like Pet Food Experts or Isle Brewers Guild to future opportunities like the commuter rail station on the city line, Rea said that the PawSox see “there’s this synergistic moment we’re recognizing as a unique point in time that’s all coming together in a unique moment for Pawtucket’s downtown.”
Taking the mayor’s cue and expressing a willingness to be a part of the 2020 downtown vision, Rea said that the PawSox want to open a new stadium downtown by spring 2020. He said that is an “aggressive timetable” but he sees it as catalytic for the city and state.
As one looks at the ballpark rendering from DAIQ Architects, aside from the new stadium, what immediately catches the eye are three new structures on Main Street in Pawtucket just beyond the stadium’s outfield walls. Rea said that those are viewed as prospective developmental opportunities, noting that fans have inquired about whether one could be used as a parking structure.
“We’re open-minded about it, it’ll be a really neat ballpark and surrounding campus, not just a ballpark,” Rea said. He said that having a space that is “more than a ballpark” has been part of the PawSox’ ongoing discussions with the mayor, governor, and elected officials.
Lucchino, who was pivotal in the creation of San Diego’s “Park at the Park” just outside of Petco Park, said in a statement on Tuesday that a “beautiful, clean, safe park is a civic asset. We envision this park as a community focal point and gathering place in the heart of our downtown.”
Grebien on Wednesday said that the public park proposal from the PawSox represents a “great start” that showcases that there is unquestionably a commitment to Pawtucket from the team’s ownership group. He also said that the organization continues to listen to what the community wants and he expects more to come in the future.
The mayor said he believes that the community and fans want a family-friendly atmosphere and affordability in a new stadium, as well as a year-round destination at a park that’s unique to Pawtucket. He said that he believes this all will tie in to the ongoing revitalization efforts downtown alongside the commuter rail, Isle Brewers Guild, and other developments.
He also said that the city is awaiting the results of economic impact studies on the Apex and Tidewater parcels, saying that he believes there is a great opportunity for investment in Pawtucket and Rhode Island.
While Rea said that the PawSox have been in contact with Apex and have exchanged some ideas, he would not go “too deeply” into the discussions. He also said that when the finances are made public, “there has to be significant skin in the game from the team and we recognize that. This has to be an investment from us.”
“It’s our fervent hope to have something here in the very near future,” Rea said of an announcement regarding the stadium’s finances.