PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien was sworn in for his eighth term Monday night, and shared his pitch to keep Hasbro in Rhode Island. Years after the Pawtucket Red Sox left for Worcester, the city now faces the threat of another Pawtucket staple leaving town: Hasbro, Inc. “Right now we’ve been having those honest conversations with them,” said Grebien. “They seem to be on hold for a little bit.” Hasbro, a member of the Fortune 500, has been rooted in Rhode Island for nearly a century. It’s headquarters are currently located in Pawtucket, but the company’s leadership is flirting with a move to Massachusetts. “We’ve made it clear through the leadership on the council, myself, and our state delegation that we want them here,” Grebien said. “They belong in Pawtucket, we’re gonna do what we can to make that happen.” Grebien said a major part of the Pawtucket’s pitch to Hasbro is a new hub developing in the city, focused around train service and the city’s new professional soccer team. “We want to have them partner with the commuter rail and with Tidewater Stadium,” Grebien said. “To have an active zone where we’re developing, and they’ll be a part of that ground-up development.” Grebien said he believes Rhode Island is the best fit for Hasbro. “If they go to Mass., it really is about them, they’re lost in Mass,” he said. “Here they’re a big fish in a little pond, and I think they realize that. “At the end of the day they’ve got to do what’s right for them,” Grebien continued. “We’ll support them either way.” Governor Dan McKee has also been in communication with Hasbro, as officials attempt to keep the company in Rhode Island. The I-195 Redevelopment District offered Hasbro exclusive rights to buy an acre of land in Providence for $1. Hasbro has not yet responded publicly to the offer. Categories: News, Pawtucket, Rhode Island