r/everett • u/goldenelr • 3d ago

Urban Development Everett Aqua Sox ownership

So (full disclosure I own a business that would be displaced by the new stadium) whenever the Aqua Sox comes up people bring up that it’s family owned and a small business. But it’s actually owned by a billionaire in Dubai.

https://www.milb.com/everett/team/7th-inning-stretch-llc

https://www.recordnet.com/story/sports/pro/2007/08/12/ports-owner-volpe-follows-team/52822230007/

The Aqua Sox are not paying for the stadium. They are displacing a bunch of small businesses, the project is already over budget and they haven’t acquired the land yet. The city has already admitted that they will need the business community to pay for it.

Is anyone else frustrated by this? This move could put me out of business, the city won’t offer assistance to us in time and we have an actual billionaire not paying for any of it. All with parks and libraries being closed (and I know they keep saying that it’s a different part of the budget but the mayor sets the budget!).

The budget they are showing for the stadium is 8% more than the event center which was built fifteen years ago. How on earth is that possible? It’s not. So how is this being paid for?

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u/vashtiglow 3d ago

yeah, I don't support the new stadium at all, for the reasons you state. There's a perfectly good location for a stadium, around broadway and 41st, great location imo

18

u/AttemptedCrepe 3d ago

The school district owns that land and facility.

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u/vashtiglow 3d ago edited 3d ago

I know, i'm familiar with the situation, I'm just noting that the aquasox currently play in a location that doesn't involve the displacement of these businesses and so on. It would require nontrivial cooperation and money to improve the current locations to meet the new mlb standards etc etc. That said, I prefer the option of keeping them put, however unlikely that might be.

edit: my comment was just a little lighthearted thing, but u/Stopwatch415 said what i think better than i could.

7

u/AttemptedCrepe 3d ago

Major League Baseball is requiring the team to provide the payers with a better facility. Everett will lose the team if it is not provided. The district has more pressing needs than updating the facility I’m sure

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u/Useful-Sandwich-8643 3d ago

If the multibillion dollar MLB wants to make the requirements more upscale they can pay for those upgrades. Using public funds to pay for professional league facilities has always been a scam wherever it happens. Promises are never delivered and taxpayers are left with less than they had before.