HARTFORD — The Capitol Region Development Authority says Hartford‘s XL Center is long overdue for several improvements that will likely be made in piecemeal after no state money was made available for a major overhaul.
Gov. Dannel Malloy didn’t include the $250 million needed for a full-scale renovation of the 41-year-old former home of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers in his capital budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
In response, the CRDA plans to seek approximately $3.5 million in state bond funds to replace the city-owned arena’s ice-making system and an elevator that no longer operates. A portion of the bond funds would also be put toward upgrading security systems.
A study conducted last year found that replacing the XL Center with a brand new arena would cost approximately $500 million.