At a meeting on Tuesday, project officials expressed optimism that Dunkin’ Donuts Park will be completed by its scheduled April 13 opener.
Ever since the Baltimore-based Whiting Turner took over the project last fall, the emphasis has been on completing the future home of the Hartford Yard Goats (Class AA; Eastern League) by this spring. A progress report in December indicated that that goal was achievable, and there was seemingly more good news delivered this week.
The 360-degree concourse is now completed, along with work on the roof, stairwells, and a leak on the right field concourse being finished. This gives Arch Insurance senior vice president Patrick Nails and Michael Spinelli, a principal of Cashin Spinelli & Ferretti LLC, a sense of optimism about the project’s completion, but both cautioned that there is plenty of work to be completed on a short schedule. More from The Hartford Courant:
Spinelli also told the authority that areas were discovered where expansion joints should have been installed and that work continues to make all the elevators operational, but added that he expected to have “very good news” at the next meeting in February.
Spinelli said that another concern — slippery conditions on the concourse when it gets wet — was also being addressed and that a coating that eliminates the slickness is expected to be applied in February.
However, Spinelli cautioned that “this is a schedule with zero float,” meaning that there is no room for unexpected setbacks that could derail the progress being made.
“If someone opens a wall and finds something no one knew about, it could be a problem,” he said.
Asked what the biggest concern was at this point, Nails replied, “time keeps both Mike and I up at night.”
The Yard Goats, who spent all of 2016 on the road as Dunkin’ Donuts Park was mired by delays, are slated to play seven games on the road at the beginning of the 2017 campaign. If the completion of Dunkin’ Donuts Park can be achieved without further delays, the Yard Goats will mark the ballpark’s opening with a game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on April 13.
RELATED STORIES: Centerplan Sued by Dunkin’ Donuts Park Contractor; Dunkin’ Donuts Park Aims for April 13 Opener; Progress Made on Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Dunkin’ Donuts Park Part of Lawsuit Between Arch, Centerplan; Construction Resumes at Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Centerplan Documents Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Work May Resume; Centerplan Files Suit to Prevent Dunkin’ Donut Park Construction Work; Work to Resume Next Week on Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Developer Sued by Contractor in Hartford; Arch to Takeover Dunkin’ Donuts Park Completion; Audit Shows Rising Costs in Hartford; McEachern to Hartford: Finish the Ballpark!; Hartford Mayor: No Thanks to Solomon’s Financial Offer; Yard Goats Release 2017 Sched; Solomon Offers to Pay for Ballpark Work; IFG: Over 180 Issues With Dunkin’ Donuts Park;Contractor: We Could Resume Hartford Ballpark in September; Work Set to Resume on New Hartford Ballpark; Yard Goats Bring up Possibility of Leaving Hartford; Dunkin’ Donuts Park Will Not Open for 2016 Season; Finally: Dunkin’ Donuts Park Spat Ends Up in Court; Hartford, Team May Finish New Yard Goats Ballpark; Hartford Rejects Settlement Offer; Hartford Developer Pitches Ballpark Completion Plan; Fire Watch Unfolding at Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Yard Goats Lay Off Four in Wake of Ballpark Breakdown; New Hartford Ballpark Now Insured; Hartford Ballpark Uninsurable After Developer Booted; Centerplan CEO: City Recklessly Terminated Contract; Yard Goats to Play Two Home Series in Binghamton; Tensions, Schedule Changes in Hartford; Hartford Stadium Authority Cancels Contract with Developer; When Will Hartford Ballpark Be Done? No One is Saying; Legal Issues Could Prevent Hartford Ballpark Opening This Season; New Deadline Targeted for Dunkin’ Donuts Park; Officials: New Hartford Ballpark Could Open Next Month; Hartford: We Doubt New Ballpark Will Open on Time; Dunkin’ Donuts Park Facing Potential Delay; New Hartford ballpark set for May 31 opening; Yard Goats to begin 2016 season on the road; Solomon: “Awful, depressing, disconcerting” ballpark situation; New Hartford ballpark opening delayed at least a month; New Hartford ballpark cost estimate: $10.3 million over budget; City: New Hartford ballpark may open late; Value engineering underway in Hartford