The nearly 20-year-old Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford needs $63.3 million in upgrades and repairs, according to a consultant hired to assess the condition of the state’s nearly 20-year-old premier sports arena. The Capital Region Development Authority – which manages the 38,000-seat stadium for the state – hired Populous last fall to perform a comprehensive review of the stadium’s needs over the coming 20 years, with a particular focus on the next five years. “You could spend a lot more, you could spend a lot less, but that’s what we think we need,” CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth told members of his Venue Committee Wednesday. Freimuth said the state has put $8 million into repairs and upgrades during the life of the stadium. Populous estimates investments in the coming five years at the stadium to cost $63.3 million, which could be phased in over several state biennial budget cycles, including a projection of $24 million in the upcoming 2023-2025 cycle, according to the CRDA summary. Freimuth said the work recommended by Populous should see the stadium through another 10 to 15 years.
https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/consultant-pratt-whitney-stadium-needs-633m-in-repairs-and-upgrades