Soccer Stadium Developer Promised Investors and Season Ticket Holders Facility Would Open in 2024
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Investment documents prepared by Brett Johnson and his team secured by GoLocal show that they promised investors that the Pawtucket stadium would open in March of 2024. He has made similar promises to thousands of fans who have made non-refundable deposits for season tickets.
Johnson, in a 66-page color presentation for potential investors, provides a detailed timeline with the promise of the March opening.
On Wednesday, two major setbacks for the stadium came to light.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFirst, Pawtucket officials announced they would not move forward with the promised issuance of $27 million in bonds. Previously, Mayor Donald Grebien had announced that the bonds would be issued in February of 2023. He blamed changes in the financial markets.
And, second, GoLocal reported that a critical order of steel for the stadium — approximately $25 million — had not been ordered.
The two developments are significant blows to the proposed minor league stadium project that has been scaled down and faced cost overruns. Johnson and his teams have missed numerous deadlines.
Now, the project has been scaled back to a stadium and limited retail.
The spokesperson for Johnson, Michael Raia, said he was not sure that the team promised to open the stadium in March of 2024. Raia said he “would have to check with his client” and get back to GoLocal.
Team Previously Promised Season Ticket Holders Stadium Would Open in March 2024 - "All Deposits are Non-Refundable"
In a press release issued by Raia in November of 2022 issued the team announced it had taken in “non-refundable” deposits for 2,500 seats and that the stadium would open in 2024.
“Rhode Island has proven that it is a community ready for professional soccer,” said Rhode Island FC President Brett Luy. “Rhode Islanders have been waiting years for a team to call their own, and we are excited to be that team. The overwhelming enthusiasm from the state’s vibrant soccer community and the excitement from Rhode Islanders, who are new to our game, has been on display all week. Collecting 2,500 deposits - representing a full quarter of our stadium - in one week should send a signal to every club in USL that Rhode Island is going to be one of the toughest places to visit when we take the pitch in 2024.”
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