A rendering shows the proposed new Hearts of Pine stadium, at Cassidy Point in Portland. Sprague Energy announced Thursday that it plans to sell the pier, at right, to McAllister Towing, ensuring that it remains in maritime use. (Courtesy of SMRT Architects & Engineers) Sprague Energy plans to sell its Cassidy Point pier to a national tugboat operator, guaranteeing that a permanent maritime use will remain alongside the proposed Portland Hearts of Pine stadium. Sprague, which has operated the Cassidy Point terminal off western Commercial Street since 2004, announced Thursday that it has entered into a purchase-and-sale agreement with McAllister Towing for its 600-foot pier and wharf property along the Fore River. Officials at Sprague said the sale ensures that working waterfront infrastructure remains on the western waterfront as the company plans to sell the bulk of its Cassidy Point property to the Portland Hearts of Pine soccer team . Plans for the terminal have become a flash point as the team seeks to rezone the upland portion of the property for a 10,000-seat stadium, and both Sprague and the team say the addition of McAllister will be a perfect fit. McAllister is the parent of local tugboat and ship docking company, Portland Tugboat. “As we evolve our footprint in Portland, our highest priority has been finding a steward who shares our commitment to the working waterfront and the economic vitality of the region,” said David Glendon, chairman of Sprague Energy. “McAllister Towing is a legendary name in American maritime history with deep roots along the eastern seaboard. Passing the torch for our wharf parcel to them guarantees that Portland Harbor will continue to thrive as a hub for premier marine and logistics services.” Advertisement Buckley McAllister, president of McAllister Towing, said the company “has long been proud of our connection to Portland Harbor through Portland Tugboat company, and we are thrilled to expand our physical footprint here.” McAllister said the property will allow the company to expand its capabilities in Portland, including specialized storage and “expanded support for commercial marine operations” in Maine. Jonathan Culley, founding partner of the Hearts of Pine, said the organization has already held “detailed discussions” with McAllister about how the two will work together to share Cassidy Point. “They are an essential contributor to Portland’s maritime industries and we are thrilled that they will now have a permanent home alongside Hearts of Pine,” he said. “We are optimistic for the brighter future that together we can deliver for the western waterfront.” Related Portland Planning Board kicks off Hearts of Pine stadium rezone debate Ever since the Hearts of Pine announced the plan to buy Sprague’s property, several working waterfront organizations, including the Maine Port Authority, have come out against the rezone . During an initial planning board workshop on the rezone request Tuesday, several people questioned whether a true marine terminal can be successful without the large warehouses and other components that are located on the remainder of the site. Advertisement When asked about the plan Thursday, Chelsea Pettengill, director of the Maine Port Authority, said a deep-water pier is “only a part of what makes Cassidy Point a valuable marine transportation asset” and that the upland portion “is crucial to supporting marine cargo operations.” Jonathan Culley, one of the founding partners of the Hearts of Pine soccer club, watches a passing aircraft while he speaks in August at Cassidy Point in Portland, where the club is hoping to build a new stadium. (Staff photo by Derek Davis) Purchase this image Jim Therriault, vice president of materials handling at Sprague, said Thursday that the company has searched for a decade to find alternative uses for the property, but that a combination of market forces and aging infrastructure has made it unfeasible. He said it’s been “frustrating” to hear the argument that Sprague should hold onto the property indefinitely to see if markets shift. “I just don’t see the market changing,” he said. The property, formerly owned by P.D. Merrill, was built for the forest products industry, where pulp, newsprint and coal came in and out. When Sprague took it over in the early 2000s, it moved its salt operation there. Roughly 40 to 50 vessels per year came through. In recent years, as markets have shifted even more, it’s been 6-8 vessels per year. It’s coal pile must be covered by the end of the year , and removed by 2030. Advertisement Even the pier has gotten to the point where it won’t support heavy industrial use, Therriault said. But, he said, it’s perfect for an operator like McAllister Towing. As they began looking for an entity to take over the pier, Therriault said they saw offers for condominium and other residential uses. “That just wasn’t us,” he said. “Our hope was to repurpose the land for something that made sense but find an alternative use for the dock.” He said they’re looking to shift their remaining operations to either Sprague’s other property in South Portland or downriver to the International Marine Terminal. McAllister Towing, founded in 1864, operates a fleet of more than 60 tugboats, crew boats, and barges at 13 ports along the East Coast from Eastport to Puerto Rico. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Hearts of Pine will be back in front of the planning board soon for a second workshop. The City Council has final authority on zone changes. Copy the Story Link Tagged: Hearts of Pine , portland maine Andrew Rice Staff Writer Andrew Rice is a staff writer at the Press Herald covering the city of Portland. He's been working in journalism since 2012, joining the Sun Journal in 2017, then the Press Herald in 2026. He lives in... More by Andrew Rice
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