Rentschler Field is set to reopen, but what’s the future of the stadium as it turns 20 years old?

[Waquoit]

Kraft can rot in hell. I truly believe we have an on-campus stadium if he hadn’t used Connecticut to get a better deal at Foxboro.

This rewrites history. Kraft was all-in on the Hartford stadium, it wasn't a ploy. And no, we would not have had an on-campus stadium. That door had closed, our open invitation had expired without any stadium action. Only when it became apparent that the then CT governor could not meet his promise to have the stadium built on time did the deal fall apart. The Rent was approved and built at warp speed for a public project, mostly to save face.

 

[CL82]

This rewrites history. Kraft was all-in on the Hartford stadium, it wasn't a ploy. And no, we would not have had an on-campus stadium. That door had closed, our open invitation had expired without any stadium action. Only when it became apparent that the then CT governor could not meet his promise to have the stadium built on time did the deal fall apart. The Rent was approved and built at warp speed for a public project, mostly to save face.

Oh yeah you’re absolutely right Kraft was all in on putting a stadium in Hartford end it turned out beautifully right on the Connecticut River… Oh wait that never happened. So maybe he wasn’t “all that in?”

UConn definitely would have gotten a stadium on campus. Look at all the development that has happened on campus since then. The problem in the university’s original pitch was that it over estimated the legislature’s zeal for all things UConn and included the equivalent of both the Burton and Shankman buildings in with the stadium request. It was a huge nut and appropriately turned down. Had they just asked for the funding for the stadium it would’ve been approved. Remember it was no more expensive to build the rent on UConn owned land in Storrs instead of on the airway donated by Pratt and Whitney.

Where we can find agreement is that Rentschler field was a reaction to the failure of the Patriots deal going through. If those “negotiations” had never taken place, we have a stadium in Storrs right now. As I often say, I like Rentschler field. There’s not a bad seat in the house and the tailgating scene is pretty good. It’s also 30 minutes closer to my home, not that that matters to me one way or the other.

 

[Waquoit]

Oh yeah you’re absolutely right Kraft was all in on putting a stadium in Hartford end it turned out beautifully right on the Connecticut River… Oh wait that never happened. So maybe he wasn’t “all that in?”

UConn definitely would have gotten a stadium on campus.

Kraft had to pull the trigger when he did because the site was not cleared to build. It wouldn't be ready in time and this was the NFL not the Eastern League. It's mind-boggling that Rowland had not crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s. If that steam plant was taken care off, we'd be playing on the banks of the Connecticut now.

Again, to be honest, how can you say UConn would have gotten an on-campus facility? Before the Pats debacle it was a dead issue, moot. How would have it restarted? What mechanism? A groundswell of support, all of a sudden? From who? Unlikely. They could barely get a hockey barn built.

 

[CL82]

Kraft had to pull the trigger when he did because the site was not cleared to build. It wouldn't be ready in time and this was the NFL not the Eastern League. It's mind-boggling that Rowland had not crossed all the "t"s and dotted all the "i"s. If that steam plant was taken care off, we'd be playing on the banks of the Connecticut now.

Again, to be honest, how can you say UConn would have gotten an on-campus facility? Before the Pats debacle it was a dead issue, moot. How would have it restarted? What mechanism? A groundswell of support, all of a sudden? From who? Unlikely. They could barely get a hockey barn built.

Have you missed the development in the athletic campus? A new baseball stadium, a new softball stadium, a new soccer stadium, a new athletics training facility, and, yes they just broke ground on a new hockey barn, all first class, but sure they wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on the new football stadium when that seemed to be the key to our athletic survival.

As I noted in my original post, the problem was they overbid. Have they come back and said we will do the Burton building, and Shenkman building out of private funds, if you will bond for the stadium, why wouldn’t the legislature agree to it? The land was “free” in either case.

 

[Waquoit]

but sure they wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on the new football stadium when that seemed to be the key to our athletic survival.

When the decision had to made, they did not pull the trigger when that seemed to be the key to our athletic survival. They passed. When and how was that attitude going to change back then, in the late-90'? That they have new on-campus facilities 20 years later is irrelevant. The best they would have done back then was spruce up Memorial, maybe put down field turf.

 

[CL82]

When the decision had to made, they did not pull the trigger when that seemed to be the key to our athletic survival. They passed. When and how was that attitude going to change back then, in the late-90'? That they have new on-campus facilities 20 years later is irrelevant. The best they would have done back then was spruce up Memorial, maybe put down field turf.

Are you reading my posts? They passed because the initial bid was too expensive since it includ the Burton building in the Shenkman building. It would’ve cost no more to build the Rent in stores them it would have in East Hartford. The land is free in both locations.

 

[BigTenFan]

Let's not forget how the stadium ended up in a parking lot in East Hartford- Pratt sold it to the state for $1 so they wouldn't have to pay for environmental cleanup.
Lots of promises turning the plot into a retail, hotel destination.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Are you reading my posts? They passed because the initial bid was too expensive since it includ the Burton building in the Shenkman building. It would’ve cost no more to build the Rent in stores them it would have in East Hartford. The land is free in both locations.

Didn't the Town of Mansfield vote down the opportunity for UConn to build on campus?

 

[jdb50]

There was no vote by the Town of Mansfield. There was much concern about traffic and the road net leading to campus. This same argument was made when the first new hockey arena design was proposed when Susan was president. "What about the traffic!?" There is a vocal contingent in Mansfield who oppose most everything mostly made up by people who earn their incomes from the University and want it to stay nice and quiet while they earn their generous salaries.

 

[alexd]

Most ridiculous part was giving in to the neighborhood over a few concerts

That was a nice run for a few years,,, Springsteen, the Stones, The Police.... damn!!

 

[CL82]

Didn't the Town of Mansfield vote down the opportunity for UConn to build on campus?

I don’t think it ever got that far since there was no funding, but I’m sure they would’ve if they could’ve. Keep in mind that the town of Mansfield actually has no say in what UConn builds or does not since it’s all state property.

 

[UConnJim]

This rewrites history. Kraft was all-in on the Hartford stadium, it wasn't a ploy. And no, we would not have had an on-campus stadium. That door had closed, our open invitation had expired without any stadium action. Only when it became apparent that the then CT governor could not meet his promise to have the stadium built on time did the deal fall apart. The Rent was approved and built at warp speed for a public project, mostly to save face.

Kraft was never all-in on a stadium in Hartford. Gov. Lowell Wiecker was the first to propose a new stadium in Hartford in 1993, when Orthwein owned the Pats, but Kraft owned the stadium and the parking lots. The stadium had operating covenant that required the Pats play in Foxboro stadium through 2001 so it was pretty clear the Pats weren't moving to a new location at that time. Kraft bought the Pats in 1994 and he first looked to move the Pats to South Boston, but he was met with opposition and pulled back. Next, in 1997, he looked at Providence and there was a proposal for a domed stadium in Providence, but that fell through due to opposition.

Then in September 1998, Kraft announced he would build a new stadium in Foxboro funded by Kraft and the state of Massachusetts. Connecticut decided to offer a big financial package to move the Pats to Hartford and a contract was signed in November 1998. Kraft was using Connecticut to get a better deal from Massachusetts, but ultimately, he built the stadium in Foxboro with private funds although Massachusetts kicked in some infrastructure improvements.

In hindsight, building the stadium in Foxboro with his own money was a home run. Anyone who has visited the stadium and seen the building boom around the stadium would agree. And, Kraft controls it all.

 

[uconnfan68]

I don’t think it ever got that far since there was no funding, but I’m sure they would’ve if they could’ve. Keep in mind that the town of Mansfield actually has no say in what UConn builds or does not since it’s all state property.

There were major infrastructure questions regarding roads and traffic for 60k. Can barely handle a 10k basketball game.

 

[CL82]

There were major infrastructure questions regarding roads and traffic for 60k. Can barely handle a 10k basketball game.

Were there though? Don’t get me wrong that’s a favorite talking point on the board, but I don’t think it was ever discussed in the legislature. In any event, as I point out frequently there are plenty of schools that manage it. Rutgers and West Point being two pretty analogous choices.

 

[Alum86]

Kraft played us like a fiddle. He got his big playground after teasing he might go to Hartford. The shoebox stadiums that hold 300 on campus are a joke too. Stop that sh&t too.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I don’t think it ever got that far since there was no funding, but I’m sure they would’ve if they could’ve. Keep in mind that the town of Mansfield actually has no say in what UConn builds or does not since it’s all state property.

Actually, if the land is in Mansfield(which some of UConn property is) they do have a say. I have been peripherally involved in a project on UConn's campus that needs Mansfield approval and it is their building codes- not UConn's.

 

[CL82]

Actually, if the land is in Mansfield(which some of UConn property is) they do have a say. I have been peripherally involved in a project on UConn's campus that needs Mansfield approval and it is their building codes- not UConn's.

I didn’t know that. Besides the training center parcel, what parts of campus are in Mansfield?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Were there though? Don’t get me wrong that’s a favorite talking point on the board, but I don’t think it was ever discussed in the legislature. In any event, as I point out frequently there are plenty of schools that manage it. Rutgers and West Point being two pretty analogous choices.

Storrs ain’t New Brunswick

 

[CL82]

Storrs ain’t New Brunswick

Thankfully

 

[huskymedic]

Actually, if the land is in Mansfield(which some of UConn property is) they do have a say. I have been peripherally involved in a project on UConn's campus that needs Mansfield approval and it is their building codes- not UConn's.

Pretty sure all Inland/Wetland permits go through Mansfield as well and they have a thing for salamander breeding grounds.

 

[businesslawyer]

Have you missed the development in the athletic campus? A new baseball stadium, a new softball stadium, a new soccer stadium, a new athletics training facility, and, yes they just broke ground on a new hockey barn, all first class, but sure they wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on the new football stadium when that seemed to be the key to our athletic survival.

As I noted in my original post, the problem was they overbid. Have they come back and said we will do the Burton building, and Shenkman building out of private funds, if you will bond for the stadium, why wouldn’t the legislature agree to it? The land was “free” in either case.

Which of those other facilities required finding 40k people willing to come to Storrs to pay real money to see a game?

 

[Chief00]

Which of those other facilities required finding 40k people willing to come to Storrs to pay real money to see a game?

You could ask the same question about East Hartford and perhaps get a similar answer. For both it’s the quality of the product on the field. East Hartford has closer proximity to more fans but Storrs has the autumn campus atmosphere, which throughout the country is nice to combine with a college game.

 

[BigTenFan]

You could ask the same question about East Hartford and perhaps get a similar answer. For both it’s the quality of the product on the field. East Hartford has closer proximity to more fans but Storrs has the autumn campus atmosphere, which throughout the country is nice to combine with a college game.

When you can't get UConn students to attend games in East Hartford you have a problem. Students want to be able to walk out of their dorms and head to the stadium.
Tailgating is mostly for Alumni and fans- not students

 

[CL82]

Which of those other facilities required finding 40k people willing to come to Storrs to pay real money to see a game?

How many D1 programs are there? How many have off campus stadiums?

But it is all moot, right? The stadium has been built and it is in East Hartford. It is great place to see a game. It's not the end of the world, but it was a dumb decision based largely on the promise of "free land" (when there already was "free" land available in Storrs) and the economic development of East Hartford (which never materialized.)

 

[Chief00]

When you can't get UConn students to attend games in East Hartford you have a problem. Students want to be able to walk out of their dorms and head to the stadium.
Tailgating is mostly for Alumni and fans- not students

I like on campus stadiums, but they do go to East Hartford by the thousands every game, they just don’t go inside the stadium. The students not going into the stadium is unrelated to the distance.