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thisisntmynametoday t1_iy8txpk wrote

The restaurants that closed in the Canal District probably didn’t close just because of the ballpark. Food cost and rent have gone up. Add in the uncertainty of projected revenue caused by a reduction of customers during 70+ home games, and these businesses made the decision to close.

Also, let’s not ignore the fact that the places that closed had similar menus and atmospheres- they were competing against each other and the new Mercantile downtown (a corporate chain that has deeper pockets).

Long term, if this park is going to pay for itself in 30 years (and be the first in US history to do so), the city needs all the current businesses need to succeed as well as the new developments, plus residents to patronize the district.

If businesses are closing around Polar Park, who is going to fill all the new retail space in the new developments that will be built in the next 2-3 years? With inflation and interest rates going up, it’s going to be harder to fill those storefronts and apartments and hotels. We haven’t even come close to filling all of the storefronts in City Square, never mind the new developments around the ballpark.

And in the meantime, we lose locally owned businesses that hired locally and put money back into the community. Instead we are going to be stuck with generic corporate chains without local ties, and another 28 years of ballooning payments on the ballpark bond. And we all have to pay more in rent and food because of the gentrification caused by greedy developers.

Any elected official who keeps telling you this will all work out well doesn’t care about us and our every day lives. They just see the glory of a new ballpark and new development, and ignore the displacement of actual Worcester residents, who they actually need to patronize the district to pay the tax bill they should have handed to Larry Lucchino.

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Shvasted t1_iy9fj7g wrote

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.

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thisisntmynametoday t1_iy9idau wrote

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.

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your_city_councilor t1_iy9tp01 wrote

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

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thisisntmynametoday t1_iyaf0ot wrote

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

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ganduvo t1_iya95g6 wrote

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

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outb0undflight OP t1_iyatyrc wrote

Yeah this is honestly the first time in like five years I've seen someone say anything positive about Hangover/Broth.

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guybehindawall t1_iyan7cz wrote

This is crazy to read because as soon as that place announced they were closing the entirety of Worcester jumped on the internet to say how bad they thought it sucked.

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