PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Providence Mayor Brett Smiley hopes to have a new tenant in the former downtown events venue known as Skyline at Waterplace by the end of 2025. The mayor said the city may begin by putting out a request for information, or RFI, to get a broader sense of who may be interested in the space at 1 Finance Way. "It’s been a restaurant or event space for a long time, but we're interested to know if there are alternate uses that we're not contemplating that someone might be interested in," Smiley said in an interview with Target 12 earlier this week. Skyline at Waterplace and the capital city had been embroiled in a legal battle since April 2023 when the venue’s owners were accused of violating their lease agreement by not keeping the property in good condition. The city's parks department took over management of the building after the city settled with the former owner to evict them. In October, the city finalized that settlement. Documents show the city agreed to pay nearly $278,000. The mayor said he wants whoever the next owner is to sign on for a long-term lease. Alexandra Leslie ([email protected]) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW