HARTFORD--The damage from the multiple delays and now a halt in construction at Dunkin' Donuts Park has already been felt by the Hartford Yard Goats, but that damage is spreading as the issues continue.
On Monday, the Hartford Stadium Authority decided to pull its contract with DoNo LLC. and Centerplan Construction after the developers said they would need two more months to complete the stadium, which was originally supposed to be completed in May. Now, equipment is being moved out of the stadium in a process called "destabilization mode," and construction is at a standstill.
"We tried as hard as we could to stay with DoNo and get this stadium built, as you know we gave them an extra $10 million," I. Charles Matthews, the HSA chairman, said, "but at some point as a good prudent business person knows we have to cut our losses."
But there are a few groups of people hanging in the balance, and they include season ticket holders for the Yard Goats, as well as ushers, concession stand workers, security guards and others who had been hired or intended to apply at the new stadium.
"They go on hold and they are sitting and waiting, which is frustrating because we have a good staff," Tim Restall, the general manager for the Yard Goats, explained of the position all those employees are now in as the future of the park remains in limbo.
Meanwhile, Jay Arcata, an attorney in the city who bought season tickets along with a group of friends, says he's willing to wait it out while the city figures out its next movie.
"It's so disappointing you know. I am a baseball fan, but I'm also a Hartford fan, and this is really a blow to the city, but we cant let it get us down Jim. We have to stick by the team and stick by the city, and this too shall pass," he said of his decision to continue to hold his tickets, despite an undetermined date of when (or if) the Yard Goats will play this season. "The date kept getting bumped back and the question was do you want us to keep extending your tickets or do you want your money back, so of course we want the tickets, so we will wait, we will wait!"
