1. Kinda doubt that, but

2. In the event that they do, everyone can just go back to supporting locally owned restaurants before they all close, too.

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It is. https://www.masslive.com/dining/2022/10/ri-restaurant-blackstone-to-open-in-worcester-from-breakfast-to-late-night.html?outputType=amp

No one is saying they aren't, they are saying that is not enough revenue to support it without the city giving tax credits and funding.

They're also saying people just leave Worcester post game as most games end past closing time of most restaurants in the area, with the exception of maybe 99, Wings over Worcester, and some pizza places. (Only including family friendly options). It's not like people are leaving the park in hordes and head into downtown / Kelly sq. And on top of that people tend to not want to spend more time in Worcester than needed.

Public market businesses have been quoted on the record talking about downturns in business during games. Especially on weekends.

Ballparks are a black hole for local businesses. While they might drive pre and post game crowds to neighboring places, it’s in the most inconvenient times when it’s a night game. 5-7pm and 11pm-close aren’t the best times for restaurants. It’s good for bars.

6-9 pm is the prime dining time for most customers, and many will stay away on game day due to the crowds and perception of lack of parking, inconvenience, etc.

If you are a restaurant staying open later to catch a ballpark crowd that has already been eating and drinking inside, you are gambling. People might go home. They might be full and only want to drink at a bar, not a restaurant.

And if your dining room is empty 6-9pm because of the public’s reluctance to dine during games, then you are losing money. It costs money to open your doors, and it costs a lot more to staff up for 12+ hours a day. That requires a lot more employees than you might afford for a gamble.

Jerry Remy’s restaurant opened up right across from the right field corner at Fenway. Prime spot, but they couldn’t make a living off of being slammed 81 home games a year, then much smaller crowds the rest of the time. https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/03/04/closure-jerry-remy-restaurant-preceded-years-financial-struggle/d84dQz01W7Xwmh9GqpWnoL/story.html

Well, the Mercantile and Ruth Chris’s will be closed within the next year, we need alternatives.

Counterpoint: Hangover and Broth were my absolute least favorite restaurants in Worcester and I am not the only person who felt that way.

It's kind of ironic that the discourse around the neighborhood went from "Polar Park will be great to the Canal District" to "why haven't the lazy restaurants done better in changing their whole businesses to adjust to the impact of the ballpark?" in a span of only a couple years

It's not an unfair question, but that's not how the park was sold! The rhetoric was that it was going to be a rising tide lifts all boats situation, and that clearly wasn't the case. Property speculation may have happened anyway, but it's not "being mean to the ballpark" to spare a thought for the service workers who are losing jobs before the holidays when these places close

Interesting you mention greed.

Since you clearly have some connection to these places, do tell, what's Smokestack Inc's plan with the $400,000 they got in PPP loans that were forgiven before they decided the big bad ballpark took all their customers? I'd love to hear it.

People actually go to the ballpark.

Definitely agree. For whatever reason, businesses think that they'll do well by not bothering to even try to attract customers. Why didn't they/don't they tailor their hours around when there's going to be a huge influx of people? Why not at least try to do some advertising to pull people in?

And closing early: maybe Worcester restaurants should try to be open more often. I moved away from Worcester after high school, and when I came back I was utterly surprised by how many restaurants were just closed on several days of the week or who closed way too early. People say that has to do with the pandemic, but that's the way businesses were acting even before.

Why is the public market thriving? Why hasn't the park taken away their business? Why isn't the parking situation harming them? All of these businesses want to just say "but the ballpark!" as a scapegoat.

Isn't that space already leased out for a new restaurant coming in?

Aw thanks! We are lucky to have an excellent music program! I am part of a Clark club (there wasn’t enough interest at wpi to start my own) so Clark students kindly let me join theirs. I also did a fellowship with a different club at Clark and I’ve had nothing but good experiences there!

Nope. I actually plan my trip using the MBTA line like a reasonable person.

I don't hate Boston at all.

I hate spending my money to help improve infrastructure that predominantly benefits them.

My car insurance rates are already inflated because I'm cost sharing with Boston drivers.

Dedicated nightlife, because there are so many college students

I think Hangover/Broth’s issues had more to do with the chaos from ownership. Whatever gains they made in their first few years were erased when the chef had to buy it and restart permitting after federal charges against the manager and owner. That’s a tough hole to dig out of twice.

I never had a good experience there. Service and food quality were highly variable. They just were not good at details and it showed everywhere. My first time visiting there, they had tequila misspelled four unique ways throughout the menus and chalkboards. That was the highlight of the night.

That’s for a pretty rational and obviously well thought out reply. I agree with most of what you said. All but that The Hangover Pub had any real competition on that street. I thought that place had some of the best food I’ve had in the decade+ I’ve lived here. If it wasn’t for the spotty service I’d say best restaurant in town. What closed it? Who knows. COVID, the park, bad life choices, sickness, any of the above. But let’s all remember when we get overtly saddled with the burden of paying for this thing, it is the most expensive minor league ballpark ever built in human history! We got that going for us.

Haha! That’s what I was saying during the initial debate. My question was, “Do we really want to be just like Pawtucket? Not a high bar guys.”

The Telegram had a story about the lack of concerts: here's the story.

The center field door is only 12' high, which is a foot shorter than what's needed to fit a truck through, so any touring group is going to have to unload all of their stuff outside of the wall and carry it through or lift it over with a crane like they do at Fenway (which is obviously not going to make sense cost- or effort-wise for any artist that would be considering playing in the stadium).

first let's focus on not digging up the roads we do pave 5 months later to fix something that was brought to attention before the project started.

this city makes no effort to advertise ways to bring things to attention, so it's mostly grouchy cranks with dpw on speeddial complaining about things.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe trucks can pull around the back, right? There appears to be an entrance to the field (where the grounds crew keeps their tractor/supplies/etc.) as well..

They've merged right?

bring back trollies on wide main roads and use the leftover buses to service neglected pockets of the city.

"not thriving before"? really? Green Island is one of the few places where Worcester feels like a real city. I'm down there 4-5 times a month for lunch, dinner, drinks, or shopping.