11/26/2024
Statement from Skyline at Waterplace | 11-26-24
Skyline at Waterplace and our family have made the ultimate decision to close operations. A little over seven years ago, we decided to take on a closed and decrepit building that had been abandoned for two years and had become a drug-infested safe haven for criminals and addicts. What was once a pillar of the city had turned into an eyesore. With the city lacking the funding or know-how, we invested over $1.7 million and combined over 100 years of business experience to transform the building into a beacon of the Renaissance City.
We hosted thousands of events, including weddings, charitable galas, university functions, celebrations, and so much more. We brought back the iconic One Providence New Year's Eve event, which had been canceled years prior. We introduced the city’s first-ever ball drop, the first H2O water show, and hosted the WBRU concert series for several years. We became the centerpiece of WaterFire and hosted hundreds—if not thousands—of events that brought millions of dollars to the city and state of Rhode Island.
Most notably, we hosted the Governors Association event, bringing governors from across the country to our beloved city of Providence. We won numerous RFPs to host some of the most significant events in Rhode Island. When the global pandemic struck, crippling businesses worldwide and taking millions of lives, we didn’t retreat. Instead, we delivered thousands of meals to first responders, week after week, caring for the sick in our hospitals.
During the riots, we were one of the first to be attacked, watching as hundreds vandalized our venue. To support our employees during the pandemic, we even opened a restaurant to keep them employed. Let us be clear: we poured our blood, sweat, and tears into this business because of our love for Rhode Island and our deep connection to Providence. Our lease was for 20 years, and we intended to see it through to the end.
We did NOT get evicted! Let us repeat that—we did NOT get evicted. The baseless claims and witch hunt against us, alleging unpaid rent and an unclean facility, are among the worst attacks on a business we’ve ever encountered. Not only did we pay our rent in advance, but we also gave the City of Providence a 0% interest loan on their own building. Anyone who walked through our doors or held an event with us knows the beauty and care that Skyline brought to every experience.
This attack was personal, spearheaded by a reporter and newspaper that are now being held accountable in court. The City of Providence knew their baseless claims wouldn’t hold up in court, so they chose to pay us to leave. Ask yourself: if we truly did anything wrong, why would the city pay us to leave? The truth always comes out, and we are confident everyone involved will be held accountable.
To our customers who trusted us with their once-in-a-lifetime events, we thank each and every one of you. We treated every event as if it were our own—from assisting with decorations to organizing bridal parties to ensuring your special day was flawless. Even under attack for over a year, we fulfilled every booking, even if it meant losing money, because we knew the importance of your events. We also want to thank all of our employees over the last 7+ years. Many of you have become family.
Despite the nonsense, we know the truth: we created one of the best venues in New England. We know the ideas we worked on with prior administrations are now being implemented in the City without as much as a “Thank you”. We know Rhode Island politics can be ruthless and everyone knows that politics in Rhode Island is a sport. It no longer make sense to fight an administration that doesn’t want us here. We also know that, after this election, legacy media is dead, and the people know the truth. YOU CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR OR WHAT YOU READ.
For that reason, we have decided to settle and we will drop the lawsuit against the City of Providence and its taxpayers and walk away with our heads held high, knowing we accomplished what we came here to do. This chapter is over and the next chapter is just beginning.
Thank you,
Skyline at Waterplace
