Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats, has not been substantially completed by today’s deadline. A meeting is scheduled Wednesday among the owners, developer, city officials, and league representatives.
Eastern League Commissioner Joe McEacharn said he’s traveling to Hartford on Wednesday to meet with the city, team management, and the developer to make an assessment on where the stadium stands and how close it is to completion.
He said until the league has a level of confidence that the work is completed there will be no designation for Opening Day in Hartford. The Yard Goats have been playing their home games for the month of May at Dodd Stadium in Norwich. McEacharn said there is a contingency plan going forward if the stadium isn’t ready by May 31, but wouldn’t release details.
Josh Solomon, owner of The Yard Goats, said Tuesday night in a statement that team was “extremely disappointed” the deadline for completion had been missed again. “We encourage Mayor Bronin and the Stadium Authority to do everything in their power to get the stadium completed so that the team can come home to Hartford and play ball at Dunkin’ Donuts Park this summer,” he said.
What happens next off the playing field is also unknown. The developers, DoNo Hartford LLC and Centerplan Cos., now face fines of $50,000 for the first day the stadium is incomplete and $15,000 a day for each following day until the Hartford Yard Goats can move into the $63 million stadium.
The developers could not immediately be reached for comment.
In the past, the team has said it would need two weeks in the stadium before it could begin play. Its delayed home opener was supposed to be May 31.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin was expected to release a statement later this afternoon but hadn’t as of Tuesday night.
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