As one of the most recognized figures in Major League Baseball, Larry Lucchino has enjoyed exhilarating peaks — like the Boston Red Sox’ remarkable post-season triumph in 2004. Yet after the unexpected recent death of his friend Jim Skeffington and a public backlash against the PawSox’ proposal for a Providence ballpark, Lucchino remained somber during a Wednesday interview about the next step for the PawSox.
Speaking from Skeffington’s former office at Locke Lord, which offers a prime view of the envisioned site for the PawSox’ new ballpark, Lucchino declined to spell out the process that will determine what happens next. Although he said: “Right now, we are in the process and throes of a re-negotiation of the existing deal.”
“I think it’s an organic process and we’re just going to pick up where we left off,” Lucchino said, “but to comment too specifically on who’s doing what and at what time would be, I think, a violation of the confidentiality that we’d like to maintain.”
“Full public disclosure will come when an agreement is reached,” he added. Lucchino said he remains hopeful that a deal will be reached before the General Assembly ends its session next month. If an agreement is not reached, “We’ll jump off that bridge when we come to it.”
Lucchino said the PawSox ownership remains committed to leaving McCoy Stadium. “Long-term, we need a state of the art facility,” he said.
Asked what he would say to skeptics about the team’s Providence proposal, Lucchino said they should look elsewhere to see the impact of similar proposals, and to consider the public benefits that would come with a PawSox ballpark.
You can listen to the full interview with the link above.