The announcement that the United Football League will move its New York franchise to Rentschler Field is good news for Connecticut taxpayers, who footed the $91.2 million bill to construct the 40,000-seat stadium.
The East Hartford open-air stadium is empty most of the year, falling short of its promise to boost the state’s economic development.
Although the UFL Sentinel’s will play just five games at Rentschler Field in the fall, it’s a move in the right direction. Combined with the University of Connecticut’s six home football games , the UFL nearly doubles the number of games played at the seven-year-old stadium.
Far more needs to be done, and the state realizes that.
The state Office of Policy and Management’s recent move to fire the stadium’s manager, Northland/AEG, acknowledges that the stadium needs to be used more often. The state is negotiating with selected firms to head up the stadium’s management, marketing, bookings and sponsorship services. Filling the seats more often at Rentschler Field is certainly something to cheer about.
