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 facility.
“… As the stadium approaches its third decade of operation, its ability to deliver a positive guest experience is crucial for it to remain relevant both locally and nationally,” reads a portion of the report delivered by stadium design expert Populous. “It is important to keep the facility in a first-class condition and well maintained for a great experience for fans, staff, and the University of Connecticut.”
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.
“We have been fortunate,” Freimuth said. “It’s worn well, but it’s time. It’s time to take on things like roofs, mechanical systems, technology.”
Pratt & Whitney Stadium is home to the UConn Huskies football team, but has also hosted soccer, rugby and lacrosse events, weddings and concerts for major performers including The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and The Police. The venue has seen more than a million visitors at “nearly 200 major events and hundreds of smaller-scale” events since opening in 2003, according to a CRDA summary.
The stadium was built on a 75-acre property donated by United Technologies in a $92 million state-funded project that began in November 2000 and wrapped up in August 2003. It was originally named Rentschler Field, after Pratt & Whitney founder Frederick Rentschler. The name was changed to Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in 2015.
In its report, Populous complimented the maintenance of the stadium, but found it had been lacking in adequate capital investment in areas and that systems were simply wearing out, according to a CRDA summary. The Populous report detailed need for critical capital investments, with special focus on:
- A replacement of the roof in the Tower Building and roof repairs for outbuildings.
- Technology upgrades to make the building better suited for UConn events, producers and broadcasters, as well as safer, more efficient and more welcoming to visitors.
- Rehabilitation of elevators, concourse areas, walkways, stairwells and various mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
- Replacement of time-worn irrigation and drainage systems on the playing field and overall site.
Among other issues, Populous found the roof in the Tower building to be in “very poor” condition, allowing for water intrusion and resulting damage. Technology was found lacking, resulting in reduced capabilities for sound and video production, as well as broadcasting ability. Eighteen of 35 security cameras in the stadium aren’t functioning properly and cameras in the parking lot do not have reliable wireless connections.
“God forbid we have something happen and we have to go back and look at what the camera caught,” said Kimberly C. Hart, venue director for CRDA. “That’s unacceptable for a building like this.”
Parking lots are cracked, as is concrete and mortar in the stadium. There is rust on exterior stairs and railings. The ability to evacuate the stadium is not up to modern standards. Air handling and heating systems are approaching the end of their useful lives, among a laundry list of issues.
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.
Responding to a question following Wednesday’s meeting, Freimuth said the Office of Policy and Management will ultimately decide the magnitude of repairs and the amount of funding requested of state lawmakers through a statewide bonding plan. The report, along with feedback from CRDA and UConn will help inform that decision, he said.
CRDA decided to pursue a facilities study as it nears a crossroads in the management of the stadium.
The original lease agreement between the state and University of Connecticut – the facility’s primary tenant – is set to expire in June 2023. The memorandum of understanding that set CRDA as the facility’s operator also expires next year, as does CRDA’s contract with Oak View Group Facilities, which manages the stadium on an everyday basis.
