Officials say moving the PawSox out of Pawtucket will be a blow to their city's economy

Local officials in Pawtucket, Rhode Island say moving the Pawtucket Red Sox to the state's capital will devastate the smaller city's economy.

Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and a group of Rhode Island businessmen announced Monday they had purchased the Triple-A baseball club for an undisclosed amount from the widow of its longtime owner and are planning to move the team to Providence. They are eyeing a piece of land along the Providence River for a new ballpark.

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council president Robert Billington says the new owners should reinvest in Pawtucket. The city was an industrial center before the Great Depression.

Billington says moving the team will be a "severe blow" to the city's economy. He says the team attracts 750,000 visitors a year.