(9.24) Come celebrate the rescuing of the Providence riverfront from the PawSox greed-heads at the “We are the Champions State House Rally” on Thursday. (Facebook Event page)
We all know the battle is not over. I certainly hope the team stays in McCoy, but if team owners find an alternate location within Rhode Island they will still have to fund it themselves. If the PawSox have to leave, then so be it.
Proof that the fight is not over comes courtesy of Mattiello himself who spoke to WPRO about what a great deal the original proposal had been! This means that one of the following things is true.
1) Mattiello made zero effort to read up on the current thinking — based on years of data and analysis by sports economists — as to what a terrible idea publicly funded stadiums are for taxpayers. This would include interviews and books written by Mattiello’s own “consultant” Andrew Zimbalist who was against stadiums before becoming a lobbyist for the PawSox. Or,
2) Mattiello tried to read all those materials — the Providence Journal articles and columns, Victor Matheson, the WSJ, Forbes, et al — and could not understand them. Or,
3) Mattiello knows these stadiums are a raid on public coffers and intends to go ahead and fund some sort of stadium, somewhere, with our tax dollars because he will benefit personally from this business relationship.
Is there another take on this? There is only one conclusion sane Rhode Islanders can reach at this point — Mattiello needs to lose his next election. Candidate needed!
At any rate ‘Stop the Stadium Deal’ chairman, Sam Bell, continues with his efforts on the City Hall front. (Bell spoke to ABC6 News about the recent victory and the petition delivered to City Hall.)
Attention Lucchino, Ryan, Murphy, Mattiello and all other pro-business Catholics: The Pope has recently called greed “the dung of the devil.” You guys need to get your shit together.
Rally 5:30pm, Thursday, September 24, State House, 82 Smith Street, (directions)