MSG May Run UConn Stadium

HARTFORD (AP) –Madison Square Garden LP, which already operates the Hartford Civic Center, is also a candidate to oversee the operations of a planned UConn football stadium.

MSG, which also runs an arena football franchise in the state’s capital, has been asked to serve as a consultant on the proposed stadium in East Hartford.

“With our commitment to the city of Hartford, it is logical to play a role” in the stadium, said Bob Russo, MSG executive vice president for facilities.

The proposed 35,000-seat stadium would be built at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

One of the company’s prime responsibilities in the project is to find ways to book events other than UConn football games – a task that became more challenging in November when the proposal changed from being a domed sportsplex to an open-air venue.

East Hartford officials are concerned that the stadium will sit dormant except for a few Saturdays a year. But Mayor Timothy D. Larson said the selection of MSG has created some excitement about what the stadium could bring to the town.

The state Office of Policy and Management chose MSG as a consultant in December. Officials are still negotiating how the company will be compensated for the project.

MSG has been advising architects on almost a daily basis since January on such details as how far the bathrooms should be from the beer stands, where the loading docks should go in relation to the locker rooms, and other ways to make the structure more user-friendly.

The state chose MSG over three other firms with extensive experience managing arenas and stadiums.