East Hartford Mayor pitches for youth sports bubble

The plan would include a 60,000-square-foot enclosed fieldhouse with multipurpose courts, an artificial turf section, a walking track, weight training area, party room, wellness room, restrooms, concessions and more, said developer Vincent DiCarlo as quoted by local daily, Hartford Courant.

Walsh told the town council earlier this week: “This is about supporting nearly 7,000 local schoolchildren who leave this community to participate in sports, it’s about investing in your community. This is social justice in a big and meaningful way.”

Walsh’s idea to finance the facility would use US$3 million from National Development’s one-time impact payment to the town along with US$7 million in new bonds. The plan is to repay the bonds and pay day-to-day maintenance and operations costs from the revenue from outside leagues.

He added: “Seven million dollars over 20 years. That’s US$25 a year to the average taxpayers for 20 years if we are a complete failure. That’s all that’s at risk, less than 50 cents a week, if we fail. But I assure you we will not fail. Zero dollars are at risk if we succeed.”

Walsh stressed there was a need for such a facility in the community and it “will cost the taxpayers nothing.” 

Click here to read the Hartford Courant article.

Image: Town of East Hartford