Stop the BRA sale of the Yawkey Way to the Red Sox

In 2003 the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) made a deal with Red Sox management to rent them full rights to Yawkey Way, effectively making it a private property before and during games, blocking it to non-ticket holders and shutting out other vendors. On this agreement, for the less than $2 million that the city of Boston made on this deal,  Red Sox management made close to $50 million. The city never had any formal appraisal of the value of this land, nor did they ask any neighbors for their input on the transaction.

In September 2013, the BRA agreed to sell the rights to Yawkey Way to Red Sox management for $7.3 million to be paid over ten years, after which time the Red Sox will have total control of Yawkey Way in perpetuity, without ever having to pay another dime.  Meanwhile, Boston will still be financially responsible for maintaining this street. This deal was rushed through without proper process or public input, and needs to be halted.

This sale was made with no public input from the citizens of Boston. In fact, during the “public” hearing on the sale, many Boston citizens came to voice their concern and were told they were not allowed to speak. Furthermore they were threatened with arrest if they spoke.

Additionally, the BRA never had a formal appraisal of the property done. Any bystander can clearly see the value of the property as being exponentially higher than the amount that was negotiated between the BRA and the Red Sox.

The Boston Finance Commission, an independent watch-dog agency which monitors any and all   business of the City of Boston, has said this agreement will “shackle generations of Bostonians to an agreement that over time will prove to be financially irresponsible” and that the city should be negotiating to get a chunk of future revenues from concessions on the site.

The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General issued a public letter to the BRA on September 26 asking the BRA to postpone this property transfer. The Inspector General requested this delay because the BRA had not had the land formally appraised and had not explained how the value of $7.3 million was set.