Hartford group gets moving on USL stadium and team

Soccer mania reached Hartford, Connecticut. Their sports group will renovate Dillon Stadium in historic Colt Park. They’ll field a USL team there in 2019.

Hartford Sports Group with USL Executive Vice President Tom Veit presented their plan this week. They propose a public-private stadium partnership to their regional development committee. The group will handle the USL team themselves.

Hartford Sports Group said millions of dollars of investment would come to downtown Hartford. That will spur the city’s positive transformation.

Dillon Stadium, dedicated in 1935, now has 9,600 seats. This renovation plan includes 6,000 seats. The stadium would have an artificial turf field and new support facilities. Colt Park, containing the stadium, entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Hartford USL proposal details

Hartford Courant reporter Jenna Carlesso listed the plan’s details from group spokesman Bruce Mandell.

"Carlesso: The city or state would pay to upgrade the stadium at a cost of $10.7 million. Mandell and his organization would bring a professional team that is part of the United Soccer League.Mandell’s as-yet-unnamed team would draw 100,000 fans per year, according to his proposal. The project would spur 40 to 50 full-time jobs. Hartford Sports Group would pay the city $125,000 a year in rent, making it the primary tenant. But the stadium would be available for community use.The group would also put up $7.5 million to $10 million to cover operating costs for the team, and for branding and marketing efforts."

Hartford’s team in the United Soccer League would join entries in 2019 from Austin, Texas and Birmingham, Alabama. Current local team Hartford City FC now competes in the National Premier Soccer League. That league has U.S. Open Cup eligibility. The team uses a stadium in nearby New Britain.

"Mandell: Hartford Sports Group believes in soccer and believes in Hartford.We have worked for over two years to put together a proposal that we think will make the Dillon Stadium project a great success.Committed to amplifying Hartford’s transformation with a redevelopment project that inspires civic pride, contributes to our city, and makes Hartford a rewarding place to live, work, and play."

In 2017 USL became the first Division II league in U.S. soccer history to pass two million total attendance.

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