Hartford, Conn., Calls $47M Stadium Performance Bond

Hartford, Conn., Mayor Luke Bronin has called a $47 million performance bond on the developer of a minor-league baseball stadium, citing delays and cost overruns.

In a letter to Arch Insurance Co., Bronin accused Centerplan Construction Co. of Middletown, Conn., of missing a May 17 deadline for substantial completion of Dunkin' Donuts Park, home to the Hartford Yard Goats, and failure to pay accruing liquidated damages, failure to post a related letter of credit, and numerous construction deficiencies and code violations.

City officials plan to meet with the insurer on May 31.

According to Bronin, Centerplan had threatened to abandon the job if Hartford called the bond, but he said that would be another breach of contract.

"They have a clear obligation to keep working, and if they believe that calling the bond wasn't necessary, they can prove it by finishing the job as soon as possible with the resources they've been given."

A message seeking comment was left with Centerplan.

Hartford had to step in to help cover cost overruns while the Yard Goats of baseball's Class AA Eastern League have had to open the season with a long road trip and play "home" games 40 miles away, in Norwich.

Under a compromise Bronin brokered to prop up the ballpark project after taking office in January, the city is sharing an estimated $10 million in overruns with the developers and the team owner.

While Hartford will initially cover $5.5 million from bonds issued by the Hartford Stadium Authority, additional tax payments from developers could trim the city's share to roughly $3.5 million.