Headline from comment yesterday ..
Answer: No we do not
Section 2B. Except as otherwise provided in section three E, real estate owned in fee or otherwise or held in trust for the benefit of the United States, the commonwealth, or a county, city or town, or any instrumentality thereof, if used in connection with a business conducted for profit or leased or occupied for other than public purposes, shall for the privilege of such use, lease or occupancy, be valued, classified, assessed and taxed annually as of January first to the user, lessee or occupant in the same manner and to the same extent as if such user, lessee or occupant were the owner thereof in fee,
Comments
https://www.masslive.com/boston/2022/02/jetblue-celebrating-its-birthday-with-one-day-sale-featuring-22-flights-out-of-boston-worcester.html
City owned property is not taxable (think Elm Parm or City Hall or the DPW buildings). The city owns the land and stadium so it is not taxable.
BUT, if a non taxable entity leases part of its property to a for profit business that uses the property for that business purpose (think a college leasing a coffee shop to a Dunkin or McDonalds franchise in its campus center), then that lease is a taxable interest in real estate because it isn’t operated as a classroom, lab, library etc. (If it is a service contract to provide food concessions, not taxable because it’s a service agreement, not a lease of real property).
How does the city avoid haveing the WooSox have a taxable interest in their lease? It’s probably not a true lease, they just call it that. It’s probably a collection of service contracts like to operate the stadium, operate the concessions, etc.