Supporters of the project have said that the arena is critical to Hartford's continued revitalizationGETTY IMAGES
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will "support additional funding for downtown Hartford's aging XL Center" -- as much as $30M -- in each of the next two years, according to a front-page piece by Kenneth Gosselin of the HARTFORD COURANT. The funding would still "need to be approved by the legislature's finance committee and the full General Assembly." Lamont will be "closely examining a 'public-private partnership' that could unload some, or all, of the financial burden of the arena from state taxpayers in the future." However, the funding for the arena "does not address the larger question of a major overhaul that most recently has been pegged" at $100M, but has "ranged as high" as $250M. The renovation is "seen as key to the venue's long-term survival." Supporters of the project have said that the arena is "critical to Hartford's continued revitalization," but critics countered that the state can "no longer afford to invest in the XL Center -- and cover annual operating losses" that are typically $1.5-2M (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/16).
