Hasbro Close to Deciding Boston or Rhode Island for Headquarters

It’s unclear if an offer of land in the 1-195 District will convince the company to stay in Rhode Island

Hasbro world headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
The former Hasbro headquarters in Providence. The company is now headquartered in Pawtucket.
Alamy Stock Photo
Share
Hasbro world headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
The former Hasbro headquarters in Providence. The company is now headquartered in Pawtucket.
Alamy Stock Photo
Hasbro Close to Deciding Boston or Rhode Island for Headquarters
Copy

Can an almost-free offer for a prime riverfront parcel in Providence’s long-touted, semi-developed I-195 District compete with the razzle-dazzle of new-money energy in Boston’s Seaport District?

That’s the choice facing Hasbro, the venerable Pawtucket-based toymaker-turned-entertainment company, as it narrows in on a future home.

Rhode Island’s effort to retain the headquarters of Hasbro is seen by some as a “jump ball” with Massachusetts.

The Boston Business Journal reported this week that Hasbro is getting closer to reaching a decision and that one location under consideration is in Boston’s Seaport District.

In November, the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission approved a binding resolution offering Hasbro an acre of riverfront land near downtown Providence for $1. It’s the same land once targeted for a controversial skyscraper by New York developer Jason Fane.

Marc Crisafulli, chairman of the commission, declined a request for comment Tuesday.

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

Stoke says he wants to enhance civics education
Democratic governors walk a fine line by criticizing Trump while also ensuring federal dollars flow. The Public’s Radio political reporter Ian Donnis spoke with Gov. Dan McKee about that yesterday, along with a few other issues
A century after Einstein’s theory of general relativity, scientists continue to unravel the mind-bending truth: the universe isn’t just growing—it’s growing in every direction, with no edge, no center, and no end in sight
Newport Historical Society takes visitors back to 1775 and asks “Whose side are you on?” in the American Revolution. And the Newport Art Museum features the nautical paintings of “Sean Landers: Lost at Sea.”
But recusals will still be required on specific bills that pose a conflict of interest