Wikipedia

Tidewater Landing Stadium

Tidewater Landing Stadium is a 10,500-seat soccer-specific stadium currently under construction in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once completed, it will be home to Rhode Island FC, a member of the USL Championship. The stadium will be located next to the Seekonk River as a part of a larger neighborhood development and is expected to be completed in Spring 2025.[1][2]

Tidewater Landing Stadium
Map
Address200 Taft St, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States of America, 02860
Coordinates41°52′08″N 71°22′57″W / 41.868790°N 71.382590°W / 41.868790; -71.382590
Capacity10,500-11,000
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundAugust 16, 2022
Built2022–
Opened2025 (anticipated)
Construction costUS$132,000,000
ArchitectOdell, JCJ Architecture
General contractorCommerce Corporation
Main contractorsDimeo Construction
Tenants
Rhode Island FC

History

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Development and construction

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Development

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The stadium was first announced on December 3, 2019, by then Governor Gina Raimondo and Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien at an estimated cost of US$80 million, with a seating capacity of 7,500.[3][4] The development, called Tidewater Landing, aimed at developing the riverfront and creating a new mixed used development at a total cost of around $400 million.[5] The stadium was expected to open by 2022, ready for the Rhode Island FC to begin play in the 2022 USL Season.[6]

Construction over the development was hindered with problems regarding the site, as toxic materials due to industrial waste led to dangerous levels of toxins being found in the soil on the development site.[7] However, by October 2022 the contaminated waste was cleared and construction was greenlighted,[8] with Dimeo Construction was named as the primary construction contractor.[9][10]

Financial issues

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Funding stood to be a constant issue for Tidewater stadium. With worries over safeguards and guarantees over public money being used properly,[11] with the need of private funding and multiple rounds of grants to help contribute to construction.[12][13] June 2022 put the project into question, as the state government stood at a deadlock on whether or not to accept a request by developers for $30 million more dollars to continue construction, jumping the projected cost from $59 million to $126 million.[14][15] After a 6–5 vote, with two abstinences,[16] $36 million in funds, that was originally set aside towards funding apartments and homes on the development site, was redirected all towards the construction of the stadium.[17]

Public bonds again were again withheld in March 2023, citing market worries due to rising inflation and continued effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] By early 2024, all funding for the stadium had been secured, mostly in the form of bonds expected to be paid back over a time period of thirty years,[19][20] totaling around $54 million.[21]

Construction

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A ground-breaking construction was hosted in August 2022,[22][23] before being paused due to a lack of funding.[24] Construction resumed by the fourth quarter of 2023, before construction again was paused in early 2024 due a new issue arising on the subject of funding.[25] Finally, construction was finally continued by February 2024.[26] The main structure beams were all put into place by mid June 2024, celebrated in a topping-off ceremony.[27][28]

Installation of seats began in late September.[29] Another setback hit the project during the last quarter of 2024, with the opening date of the stadium pushing the opening of the stadium to move from mid-March to April 2025.[30]

References

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  1. ^ Jordan, John (2019-12-03). "Largest Economic Development Project in Pawtucket History Unveiled". benefitspro.com. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  2. ^ Muret, Don (2024-06-26). "Rising Tidewater - VenuesNow". Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  3. ^ "Pawtucket Project Announced - Claims to Be $400M and Needs Up to $90M in Public Support". 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  4. ^ "$400 million Tidewater Landing planned for Pawtucket". nerej.com. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  5. ^ Uprise RI Staff (2019-12-02). "State leaders announce largest economic development project in Pawtucket's history". Uprise Rhode Island. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  6. ^ Winthrop, Christian (2019-12-02). "$400 million riverfront "Tidewater Landing" project in Pawtucket to include a United Soccer League Championship team and stadium". Newport Buzz. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  7. ^ Anderson, Patrick (2019-12-11). "Soccer stadium site needs big cleanup". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  8. ^ Amaral, Brian (2022-10-18). "A brownfield to a soccer field: Environmental cleanup on site of future Pawtucket stadium wraps up". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  9. ^ Shorey, Ethan (2021-06-08). "Dimeo will build Pawtucket's new soccer stadium". The Valley Breeze. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  10. ^ Serreze, Mary (2021-06-09). "Dimeo Construction To Build Tidewater Stadium In Pawtucket". Pawtucket, RI Patch. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  11. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Soccer Stadium Financing is Riddled With Questions, Says Former Financial Advisor". Go Local Prov. 2023-12-29. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  12. ^ Lavin, Nancy (2023-08-10). "Pawtucket soccer stadium developer says it has finished raising private funds • Rhode Island Current". Rhode Island Current. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  13. ^ Murray, Nicholas (2020-12-17). "Tidewater Landing Development Continues to Take Positive Strides". USL Championship. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  14. ^ Anderson, Patrick (2022-06-07). "Pawtucket soccer stadium backers seek $30 million more from RI". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  15. ^ Crandall, Brian (2022-06-14). "Gov. Dan McKee proposes shifting state funds for Tidewater Landing project". WJAR. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  16. ^ DaRocha, Olivia (2022-06-14). "Discussions to continue about possible Pawtucket soccer stadium". ABC6. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  17. ^ Anderson, Patrick (2022-07-25). "Pawtucket soccer stadium moves ahead on McKee tiebreaking vote". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  18. ^ Stevens, Matthew (2023-03-23). "Public funding for highly debated Tidewater Landing project is on hold". ABC6. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  19. ^ Crandall, Brian (2024-02-08). "NTidewater Landing stadium financing deal finalized". WJAR. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  20. ^ Lavin, Nancy (2024-02-09). "Pawtucket soccer stadium public financing finally closes. But borrowing costs have soared. • Rhode Island Current". Rhode Island Current. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  21. ^ Sherman, Eli (2024-02-09). "Pawtucket closes on $54M bond for soccer stadium after costs jump". Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  22. ^ Shaw, Justin (2022-08-16). "Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Breaks Ground on USL Championship Stadium". SportsTravel. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  23. ^ Amaral, Brian (2022-08-12). "R.I. officials break ground on Tidewater Landing project in Pawtucket". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  24. ^ Lavin, Nancy (2023-10-05). "Pawtucket City Council to vote on updated soccer stadium agreements next week • Rhode Island Current". Rhode Island Current. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  25. ^ Bessette, James (2023-06-22). "With 'components' of soccer stadium construction halted, project's immediate future unclear". Providence Business News. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  26. ^ Anderson, Patrick. "Pawtucket soccer stadium's financing is complete. Here's what's behind the $137M project". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  27. ^ Wilkinson, Kate (2024-06-14). "Tidewater Landing project one step closer to completion". Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  28. ^ Parker, Paul Edward. "Pawtucket on the move': RI government officials celebrate 'topping off' of soccer stadium". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  29. ^ Parker, Paul Edward (2024-09-27). "Take a seat! Construction milestone at Pawtucket soccer stadium as first seats installed". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
  30. ^ Gavin, Christopher (2024-10-25). "Pawtucket's Tidewater soccer stadium faces contruction setback — again". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
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