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Post by rf1 on Sept 11, 2018 9:51:50 GMT -5
More perspective on the new Woosox stadium: “I think Worcester just really, really, really, really, really wanted a baseball team. I think the city council and the mayor and the city manager had a gigantic inferiority complex, and they wanted to create an identity for the city, and didn’t care what it cost them.”
What Worcester officials needed, then, was a way to paint the stadium deal as one that pays for itself—or, at least, as something where the numbers are hazy enough that it could be interpreted that way. And that’s where the mixed-use development came in: Forecasting ancillary impact stuff is a mess, and you can predict anything (within reason) and squint hard enough and justify your conclusion. And if that makes the resulting economist battles he-said-she-said—or he-said-everybody-else-said—that’s sort of the point.
“This is a convenient dodge for any municipal government engaging in these sort of things,” says West Virginia University sports economist Brad Humphreys. “There’s not much evidence about the effectiveness of these targeted redevelopment projects that go along with mixed-use retail/residential projects.” That’s a good thing in one way, he says: At least it’s encouraging sports venues to be built with more than a sea of parking lots around them. “But whether the ancillary stuff is going to pay for the subsidy, that’s a pie in the sky claim that has no evidence to back it up.”
The Stadium Scam Goes Minor-League, And It Has An Unlikely Ally deadspin.com/the-stadium-scam-goes-minor-league-and-it-has-an-unlik-1828896356
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Post by Tom on Sept 11, 2018 11:11:13 GMT -5
Might not be a great analogy, but Patriot Place seems to do OK with year round stuff
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Post by WorcesterGray on Sept 13, 2018 5:20:48 GMT -5
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Post by rf1 on Sept 13, 2018 8:43:31 GMT -5
The vote was hardly a surprise given city government has been described in these terms:
“I think Worcester just really, really, really, really, really wanted a baseball team. I think the city council and the mayor and the city manager had a gigantic inferiority complex, and they wanted to create an identity for the city, and didn’t care what it cost them.”
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Post by possum on Sept 13, 2018 12:32:07 GMT -5
rf your obsession with this issue makes one wonder whether you're the mayor of Pawtucket or.have a financial interest in the PawSox. I think it's time to get over it and get your season tickets for URI baseball.
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Post by timholycross on Sept 16, 2018 7:30:35 GMT -5
Don't know what bumps in the road there will be coming up (none have surfaced so far) but having watched projects be born and usually die* in Mass.; it was impressive that the deal was approved in quick order.
That's not a judgement on whether or not the deal is a good one for Worcester, remains to be seen.
*how many different arena and stadium cites were there before the TD Garden and Gillette were built? There were sites in the city (remember the "Megaplex"), sites in the near suburbs, sites along 128, 95 and 93, including Salem, NH. And, of course, Hartford.
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Post by timholycross on Sept 18, 2018 10:05:04 GMT -5
There was a celebration yesterday in Worcester. Nice to see Jerry Remy in a couple of the photos, hopefully is doing well. I know, he's a traitor to his native SE Mass (complete with his RI/Fall River accent) for being there.
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Post by crusader12 on Sept 18, 2018 10:51:17 GMT -5
The Worcester politician love fest made me want to puke.....
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Post by gks on Sept 18, 2018 12:20:26 GMT -5
Politicians at these kind of things are just brutal. Pedro Martinez on the other hand stole the show. Great spokesman for the Sox.
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Post by cmo on Sept 24, 2018 8:39:20 GMT -5
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Post by matunuck on Sept 26, 2018 13:32:05 GMT -5
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Post by sader1970 on Sept 26, 2018 15:02:11 GMT -5
Small world in Rhode Island. Sen. William Conley is the husband of a wonderful lady I worked with when she was head of our HR department. She always talked about her husband, "Billy," and while I never did actually meet him but knew him to be a successful attorney working for various municipalities. Mattiello is reportedly the most influential politician in the state and hails from my city but I don't reside within his ward, so he's not my rep. The "Studio" fiasco soured a lot of people for sure. And, of course the author of the article, I believe is a brother of Inigo Montoya:
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Post by matunuck on Sept 28, 2018 13:55:04 GMT -5
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Sept 28, 2018 14:11:14 GMT -5
I think the demand that the mayor be allowed to be the Designated Hitter when he is in town is way out of line.
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Post by Tom on Sept 28, 2018 15:41:35 GMT -5
The plot thickens
If I recall correctly, a number of years ago, the Auditorium was sold to a private developer. After the deal was made it had to be ratified by the council since the city owned the building. The council added stipulations, basically saying the new construction had to be done by local union labor. The private developer walked away and the Auditorium stands unchanged..
I hope history doesn't repeat itself
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Post by Wormtown Railers Fan on Oct 25, 2018 17:11:00 GMT -5
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Post by rgs318 on Oct 26, 2018 6:28:26 GMT -5
That is some nice out-of-the-box thinking by Assumption. I wish HC has similar deal...perhaps with a local hockey team (helping to mend fences)?
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Post by timholycross on Oct 26, 2018 7:59:27 GMT -5
Wonder if they would play a game or two at Fitton in 2019 or 2020. Would seem like a nice PR move and if they are drawing poorly in Pawtucket the next two years, not a loss playing in a smaller place.
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Post by rf1 on Nov 26, 2018 23:40:50 GMT -5
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Post by Wormtown Railers Fan on Nov 27, 2018 8:49:19 GMT -5
The idea was brought up two years ago by the Mayors Tax Committee. This has nothing to do with the ballpark. Read the article again. Go Worcester Red Sox!
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Post by rf1 on Nov 27, 2018 10:19:57 GMT -5
The idea was brought up two years ago by the Mayors Tax Committee. This has nothing to do with the ballpark. Read the article again. Go Worcester Red Sox!
Enjoy your higher taxes.
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Post by Wormtown Railers Fan on Nov 27, 2018 11:46:27 GMT -5
The idea was brought up two years ago by the Mayors Tax Committee. This has nothing to do with the ballpark. Read the article again. Go Worcester Red Sox!
Enjoy your higher taxes.
If you come up to Worcester I’ll buy you a $1 draft of PBR at the Hotel Vernon, I’ll even cover the $.01 tax. Actually, there is already a .75% meals tax so I’ll cover the extra .25%.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Nov 27, 2018 12:41:24 GMT -5
One of Worcester's main problems is weak demand for housing within Worcester proper. Real estate prices seem to be stagnant. An example. 28 Caro (a property coveted by HC) Sold in 2003 for $270,000 Present assessed value is $189,000 26 Caro HC ought it in 2011 for $275,000 and tore it down. Appears to have gone into foreclosure before that. HC was / is? willing to pay a premium on property outside the gates that it covets. 32 Caro (there is no 30 (Caro) HC bought it in 2011 for $245,000. Assessed for $181,500. 25 Caro Estimate of market value is $200,090 www.massrealty.com/worcester/worcester/house-appraisal/25-caro-st-worcester-ma-01610Assessed for $166,000 With stagnant property values, I believe Massachusett's Proposition 2 1/2 can cause real pain with respect to municipal finances.
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Post by matunuck on Nov 27, 2018 12:57:01 GMT -5
Guess Worcester will have to reduce spending and restructure public pension plans. Of course, Massachusetts as a whole seems to be doing quite well on the housing market. www.zillow.com/ma/home-values/
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Post by Wormtown Railers Fan on Nov 27, 2018 13:11:56 GMT -5
One of Worcester's main problems is weak demand for housing within Worcester proper. Real estate prices seem to be stagnant. An example. 28 Caro (a property coveted by HC) Sold in 2003 for $270,000 Present assessed value is $189,000 26 Caro HC ought it in 2011 for $275,000 and tore it down. Appears to have gone into foreclosure before that. HC was / is? willing to pay a premium on property outside the gates that it covets. 32 Caro (there is no 30 (Caro) HC bought it in 2011 for $245,000. Assessed for $181,500. 25 Caro Estimate of market value is $200,090 www.massrealty.com/worcester/worcester/house-appraisal/25-caro-st-worcester-ma-01610Assessed for $166,000 With stagnant property values, I believe Massachusett's Proposition 2 1/2 can cause real pain with respect to municipal finances. One street in Worcester does not represent the entire city. I know my home assessment has increased over 15% the past three years. My neighbors as well.
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