Talks are on for a new Pawtucket Red Sox (Class AAA; International League) ballpark in downtown Pawtucket, as the team is reportedly interested in the Apex property.
The PawSox ongoing search for a modern alterantive to McCoy Stadium is continuing, as the team engaged in a feasibility study of a renovation to that facility. One of the key points to any ballpark plan, be it for a new or renovated facility, is to ensure that there is enough land surrounding the venue to accommodate additional development.
As we have noted before, redeveloping the area around McCoy Stadium could prove to be one of the proposal’s biggest challenges. That is perhaps why the team is reportedly mulling the possibility of the downtown Apex property as a one of its possible locations for a new ballpark, something that Bill Wanless, the team’s vice president of communications and community relations, recently confirmed to The Valley Breeze.
While the process of investigating the site is still underway, the location offers a few distinct points of interest, including its positioning in downtown Pawtucket and proximity to I-95. The area is also being considered for some other development options that could enhance the gameday experience. More from The Valley Breeze:
If a new stadium does take form at Apex, a baseball fan could get off the train, walk one-tenth of a mile to the brewery and then another four-tenths of a mile to the stadium.
[PawSox chairman Larry] Lucchino and others have emphasized that they want any venue for the Pawtucket Red Sox to be a great destination for fans.
It’s still too early to say what team owners will be asking for in terms of investments from the city and state to either revamp the existing McCoy Stadium or build somewhere else.
According to the sources, relocating the PawSox to the Apex site would likely require development of a parking garage. The current owner of the property, Andrew Gates, also owns three abutting parcels, including the former George’s Games, the Apex Tire and Service Center, and a vacant property directly across the street. Other nearby parking amenities include the City Hall parking lot and city parking garage.
More answers could emerge when the study, which was commissioned by the PawSox, Pawtucket, and Rhose Island and is being conducted by Pendulum Studio, is completed in the coming weeks. For now, this could signal that the PawSox are at least willing to explore alternatives in Pawtucket if an overhaul of McCoy Stadium does not prove to be the best option.
RELATED STORIES: Previous Study: $65M for McCoy Stadium Upgrades; Pendulum to Determine McCoy Stadium’s Future; PawSox Still Pondering Future; Four Firms Bidding on McCoy Stadium Study; Feasability Study Set for McCoy Stadium; PawSox to Begin McCoy Stadium Study; Lucchino: All Options for Future Pawsox Ballpark on Table.