More than 100 people attended a meeting about the new Hartford baseball stadium on Monday night and many of them were upset and had several questions about a plan for the city to pay $5.5 million of the $10 million shortfall to build it.
Last week, Mayor Luke Bronin announced that he came up with a plan to close the $10 million hole in construction costs with $5.5 million of taxpayer money, $2.3 million from the developer, while $2 million from the Hartford Yard Goats, the team that will play in the stadium.
Bronin has said the city is forced to play the hand it was dealt to ensure that the stadium happens and he hosted a Town Hall meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday at the Hartford Public Library.
“We, as residents, should be paying less because, as I said, we did not ask for this,” Hyacinth Yennie, of Hartford, said.
Despite the extra money, the stadium construction will still be finished two months late and force the team to play many of the first home games on the road.
“We have a crisis every budget year,” Bill Katz, of Hartford, said. “This is insane."
Opening day for the stadium is scheduled for May 31.
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The city council has referred the mayor’s proposal to a committee and a public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 17.
