The current plan -- downsized from $250M a few years ago -- concentrates on “adding premium seating to the lower half of the arena"Getty Images
The renovation of Hartford’s XL Center would “cost tens of millions of dollars more” than an estimate of $107M, “throwing into uncertainty a long-debated makeover of the aging arena and likely forcing another downsizing,” according to a front-page piece by Kenneth Gosselin of the HARTFORD COURANT. The analysis by the quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority of the renovation bids -- covering the individual components of the project -- came in at more than $140M -- “not only well above the estimate,” but also above the state funding and private investment “tentatively in place to finance the renovation.” CRDA Exec Dir Michael Freimuth said that the $140M is “clearly a ‘nonstarter.’” But he added that he believes the project “could be trimmed down” to $125M, “making some deep cuts without sacrificing what is needed to make the venue profitable, critical to securing the private investment.” If the next set of bids comes in close to the $125M, the project “still may require additional money, perhaps from the local corporate community.” The renovations are aimed at making the XL Center “more competitive” with new arenas to “attract more events; help the venue turn around a money-losing track record and carry it through another two decades.” The current plan -- downsized from $250M a few years ago -- concentrates on “adding premium seating to the lower half of the arena.” Gosselin noted the state legislature has approved a total of $80M in public funding for the renovation in recent years. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has “supported” a significant upgrade to the XL Center, but “only with private investment that would ease the burden on state taxpayers who would pick up the largest part of the tab” (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/21).
RELATED: Long-awaited upgrades for Hartford's XL Center could start later this year
