Walpole Proposal Could Raise Ticket Prices at Major Venues

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.

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

“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.

The charge would apply to events that have more than 15,000 spectators.

Walpole would be in line to receive the proposed $3 maximum..

The funds 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 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 that 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."