video: Rhode Island Pitching to Bring ESPN’s X Games Back in 2017
Friday, May 20, 2016
GoLocal has learned from two high level sources that Rhode Island is actively pitching the return of ESPN’s X Games to Providence for 2017 and 2018. The Commerce Corporation and tourism leaders have put together an aggressive package that includes rent free usage of the 195 land, the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and a financial commitment of $1.1 million in incentives.
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SEE GRAVITY GAMES VIDEO OF PROVIDENCE BELOW
Most of the games would be played on the site that the Pawtucket Red Sox sought to build a Providence baseball stadium, including the park land along the river. As noted during the debate over the proposed PawSox stadium, that site has numerous physical complications.
The location adjoins where the new pedestrian bridge is planned to cross the Providence River from Dyer Street and South Water.
The Beginning of the Extreme Games
Rhode Island was the launching pad for the X Games, originally named the Extreme Games, when then-head of the Rhode Island Sports Council, John Mousseau, recruited the initial games.
The first announcement of the games appeared on page B-6 of the Providence Journal in January of 1995 -- and the entire story was 135 words long.
“Six venues have been secured for the 1995 ESPN Extreme Games, a world-class competition to be held June 24 to July 1. Fort Adams State Park in Newport will host skateboarding, in-line skating and BMX dirt jumping and will serve as viewing site of the skysurfing competition. Near the Fort, a 60-foot wall will be built for sport climbing.”
The initial games were held at Fort Adams in Newport.
In 1996, the ESPN Extreme Games moved to Providence and drew a combined crowd of over 200,000. The games were heralded as an economic engine that provided an estimated $14.2 million to the Rhode Island economy. By all measures, the games were a success and the hours of broadcasts helped to fill the summer schedule for the newly launched ESPN2 and put Providence before millions of viewers. The games were a key part of the Providence Renaissance.
But by 1997, the games were gone to San Diego.
Next Up - the Gravity Games
In 1999, a competitive broadcast product was launched in Providence -- the Gravity Games. The Gravity Games were owned in part by NBC Sports and were broadcast on the network. After three years, the Gravity Games left Providence for Cleveland, and by 2006, the games closed down.
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