HARTFORD -- Friday afternoon, the Hartford Stadium Authority went into a closed-door, executive session to determine what action they are going to take against DoNo Hartford, LLC, the developer of the still incomplete home of the Hartford Yard Goats, Dunkin' Donuts Park.
DoNo suggested extending the timeline for substantial completion just prior to the May 17 deadline, but had not yet provided a formal revised schedule for achieving "substantial completion."
The city of Hartford has now made a formal demand for DoNo to pay up on their damages: that's $50,000 for the first day of delay in substantial completion and $15,000 for each additional day until the stadium is delivered.
"We are all clear: The taxpayers will not be putting more money into the ball stadium whatsoever," said I. Charles Mathews, chairman of the Hartford Stadium Authority. "That's why we have a performance bond."
Matthews said that the first payment was expected sometime Friday.
The Hartford Stadium Authority decided Friday afternoon it will meet early next week with the insurance company that holds that bond.
During the peak of the project, there were over 500 people working on Dunkin' Donuts Park. Today, 310 were on site. A source tells FOX 61 the project is roughly 98 percent complete.
In order for the ballpark to open, the developer, DoNo Hartford, LLC, must secure a certificate from the architect and a temporary certificate of occupancy. They are also required to deliver the ballpark and associated fixtures, furniture and equipment to the club in a turnkey fashion, subject to punch list.
The city has one legal option: to fire the developer. But it's tricky.
"The city is doing what the city has to do," said Jason Rudnick, of DoNo Hartford, LLC, which is the developer. "The lawyers can have their conversations. So, I'm going to head out right now and I'm going to go build a stadium, OK?"
If the Hartford Stadium Authority did decide to replace the developer, a source tells FOX 61 it is unlikely any games would be played here at Dunkin' Donuts Park this season.
The Yard Goats released their updated schedule Thursday. The Eastern League team is adding 5 more games to their stay at Dodd Stadium in Norwich.
Back in January, about a week after it was announced that Dunkin’ Donuts Park would not open by the originally-planned April 7 date, it was announced that the Yard Goats would start the 2016 season on the road.
Revised contracts called for a May 17 completion date, setting up the first real home game for May 31. The developer insisted the stadium would be completed by May 17 and ready for the city per the terms of the contract, but that obviously didn't happen.
On Thursday, May 12, the team played the first of nine planned "home" games at Dodd Stadium in Norwich. The Connecticut Tigers' who usually play at Dodd begin their season in June.
