Hartford Baseball Stadium on Track With Tight Schedule: Construction Team

The insurance and construction companies in charge of completing Dunkin' Donuts Park told Hartford city leaders Tuesday that the stadium is on track for the scheduled April 13 Opening Day.

"We remain on schedule," said Patrick Nails, General Counsel for Arch Insurance, the company that assumed control of the stadium project when the original developer was fired by the city.

However, project consultant, Michael Spinelli, said the current project schedule contains, "no float," meaning the margin for error is slim and any delays "could derail the project."

Spinelli detailed numerous milestones that have been reached, as well as what lies ahead for construction teams.

Since early December, about one hundred workers have been on the site each day.

On what's been completed since Arch and Whiting Turner Construction assumed control, Spinelli rattled off a list that included a watertight roof with leaks in only one part of the park, a boiler has been installed, light hangs have been removed and were then installed properly.

The concourse is complete now that a pedestrian walking bridge has been installed in left field.

Spinelli said he was most happy with the fact that structural issues relating to all of the stairways in the ballpark have been addressed and completed.

Sections of seats were also removed and then reinstalled to be aligned properly with the field. The seats were installed but did not face the field.

As for what's left, the fireproofing of structural steel still needs to be completed which involves the removal of some walls and perhaps even concrete slabs.

Nails, with Arch, said the construction teams are "firing on all cylinders."

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin voiced concerns about the construction schedule, and asked what concerned the construction company the most.

Spinelli said, "I'm a control freak, and the things I can't control are what concern me."

When reached for comment, Yard Goats General Manager Tim Restall said, "we look forward to playing baseball on April 13, 2017."

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