HARTFORD -- Centerplan Construction and DoNo Hartford LLC, the former construction company and developer of Dunkin' Donuts Park, say they want to finish the job and plan to submit a proposal to Hartford city leaders next week. The two companies were fired by the city in early June after missing another completion deadline.
Robert Landino, CEO of Centerplan Companies, sent a statement to FOX 61:
The residents of Hartford want solutions. Despite many City-directed changes to the design of the ballpark which affected schedules and costs, Centerplan has always been committed to the progress of the project. We have presented a variety of concepts to the City that could set a path toward finishing what is an almost completed ballpark. We are formally submitting a written proposal to the City soon that offers a solution and reaffirms Centerplan’s commitment.
I. Charles Mathews, chairman of the Hartford Stadium Authority, remains skeptical after Centerplan and DoNo missed several key deadlines in the past.
"If in fact they gave us a piece of paper for a proposal, we'll certainly take a look at it but for my money we're better off moving in a different direction," said Mathews. " I'm not going to believe anything until I see something in writing and until I see an escrow account with millions of dollars in it that would suggest to me that they have the financial capability to finish the job. I haven't seen that yet."
While the Yard Goats were originally supposed to play their first home game in April, then delayed it until mid-May, the team has continued playing at Norwich's Dodd Stadium as construction delays are worked through. Now, it's highly unlikely the team will get to throw a pitch in Hartford this season, although some say that could cost the city as much as $1 million.
"We're angry," said Josh Solomon, owner of the Yard Goats, last month. "I think we stand with the city and the stadium authority but we're incredibly disappointed in the broken promises and the lack of professionalism and execution on the part of Centerplan."
In April, the Hartford Stadium Authority unanimously decided to file a claim with the developer's insurance company for the value of the stadium. The passage of the resolution is also a symbolic vote of no-confidence in the developer's ability to get the job done. That puts the responsibility on the insurance company to get the project finished and handle any cost overruns.
Arch is conducting an audit of the stadium site which is expected to take at least three weeks.
