Providence rejects ice rink sponsorship bid from Cianci Educational Foundation
by: Sarah Doiron, Kate Wilkinson
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The ice rink in downtown Providence has had a variety of names throughout the years, and was most recently named after its former sponsor BankNewport.
But a name that it will not be graced with, at least for now, is the Buddy Cianci Ice Rink.
The capital city just rejected a bid from the Cianci Educational Foundation to name the ice rink after its most notorious former mayor.
Brad Turchetta, Cianci’s nephew and president of the foundation, told 12 News his uncle brought the ice rink to the city back in 1998, so it’s only fitting that it be named after him.
“It’s been such a success,” Turchetta said. “We thought it was a nice addition to his legacy.”
Turchetta said the foundation offers scholarships with money raised by selling jars of the family’s marinara sauce, which is named after the two-time mayor.
“[The sauce recipe is] from my Aunt Anna, who’s since passed, but she taught us how to make it,” Turchetta explained. “There’s one specific thing that makes the sauce different, but I can’t say what it is.”
The foundation offered the city $200,000 over five years for the naming rights, which fell $75,000 short of the original asking price, according to Mayor Brett Smiley.
“[The proposal request] had a minimum base bid of $60,000 per year for the five-year term, or a one-time $275,000 payment,” Smiley explained in a statement. “However, the bid the city received was lower than this minimum requirement.”
Smiley added that the city only received one bid for the naming rights, that being from the foundation.
Turchetta was disappointed, but not shocked, by the city’s decision.
“We had our number and put it in, and it was rejected,” he said. “It was a little bit of a pipe dream with how much money they wanted.”
Turchetta said the foundation plans to submit another bid if the city opens up the process again.
The city’s search for a new sponsor comes after BankNewport opted not to renew its naming rights.
Though the rink offers year-round programming, it’s biggest draw is ice skating and bumper cars in the winter. The rink has been undergoing renovations and is expected to be back open in time for the start of its busiest season.