Politics & Government

Walpole Proposal Could Raise Ticket Prices at Gillette Stadium

The proposal would mitigate a portion of ticket sales at major venues like Gillette Stadium and give the money to neighboring communities like Wrentham.

A letter from Walpole Town Administrator Michael Boynton will be sent to local legislators this week to propose a plan that would give surrounding communities in close proximity to major entertainment venues and stadiums revenue from their respective ticket sales.

For Gillette Stadium that means communities like Walpole, Wrentham, Sharon and Norfolk.

The proposal, which Boynton stressed is to “start a dialogue,” would ask owners of venues such as Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and Comcast Center (Mansfield) to apply a charge of up to $3 per ticket over face value in order to mitigate the burden on surrounding communities.

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“Walpole bears an awful lot of the burden but gets no benefit from having the stadium venue as close as it is to the town line,” Boynton said.

According to the proposal, communities one-half mile or less from the venue will receive $3 per ticket sold; communities one-half mile but less than one mile will receive $2 per ticket; and communities greater than one mile but less than two miles will receive $1 per ticket.

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The charge would apply to events that have more than 15,000 spectators - the same crowd size that activates Foxborough's parking ban on residents parking vehicles on their property for a fee.

The funds from the ticket sale fee would go towards municipal infrastructure and facilities, road improvements, public safety, public works, emergency management and any staffing the community may need for municipal protection and operations during stadium events.

The letter will be mailed to Rep. John Rogers, Rep. Louis Kafka, Rep. Paul McMurtry, Rep. Dan Winslow and State Sen. James Timilty.

“These communities that feel the impact of these large facilities, yet, get zero of the revenue, this is an opportunity for them to look at it,” he said.

Boynton said the dollar figures and the amount of spectators for the mitigation to kick-in are not set in stone.

"It's a starting point," he said. "I wanted to come up with something that would bring some revenues to the communities."


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