Kelcy Conroy
Managing Editor
Rhode Island governor Dan McKee and House Speaker Joe Shekarchi met Thursday with Hasbro owner Chris Cocks after news surfaced that the toy and entertainment giant is exploring options that include moving its headquarters out of Pawtucket.
Hasbro has been headquartered in Rhode Island for over a century and they generated over five billion dollars in revenue last year. About 1,400 people are employed at the headquarters with jobs varying from artists and writers to mechanical engineers. Internships in any of these positions are also available.
Roberta Thomson, a Hasbro spokesperson explained that as “Hasbro continues to evolve, we’re exploring options for our global headquarters to make sure it is a space that can best serve our employees, partners, and business needs for years to come.” She added, “Regardless of the outcome and location, we remain committed to our history - not leaving it behind, but building on it.” According to the Boston Business Journal who originally published the news,, Hasbro executives have been visiting real estate in Boston and its surrounding areas. They are looking for roughly 200-250K square feet, a huge area of space especially in the post-Covid market.
Despite Hasbro’s claim that a move would be helpful and that they will acknowledge their history in Rhode Island, state officials are trying hard to keep Hasbro in the state. “The state should do everything it can to retain the jobs,” said Chamber President Laurie White. “It’s similar to the situation that arose in the spring, where Massachusetts is aggressively going after Rhode Island companies.” This is referencing an effort made by Massachusetts governor Maura Healey earlier this year to lure Citizens Financial Group out of Rhode Island.
However, the conversations on whether or not to keep Hasbro in the state are continuing, going back to McKee and Shekarchi’s meeting on Thursday. Thomson said in a statement that “The Hasbro team had a productive meeting with Governor McKee and Speaker Shekarchi. We look forward to continuing the discussions as we take time to explore the best decisions for Hasbro’s future.”
Will Hasbro relocate to a bigger and better facility or will they preserve their history by staying in Rhode Island? Only time will tell.
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