David Sweetser - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

David Sweetser - 23 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2023

David Sweetser is the developer who has controlled the Superman Building in downtown Providence for about 15 years — for more than 10 of those years, the building has been empty.

He has made a big difference in Rhode Island, but none of it for the better.

Sweetser has made endless promises and claims, but few of them have been true — maybe none of them.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

In April of 2022, Rhode Island and Providence officials agreed to subsidize Sweetser’s project with nearly $100 million in public subsidies — federal, state and local.

Then, the goalpost moved again. Interest rates climbed, which was not a surprise to anyone other than Sweetser.

Again, the project was delayed, and he had his hand out again for more public dollars for his private project.

In October, he promised to spend $25 million to begin the internal demolition.

But, by the end of November, a crew of just five were working onsite.

Sweetser ran another year off the clock in his endless urban decay blackmail.

Governor Dan McKee has promised no additional public funds to support the profiteering Sweetser. That might be the only good news.