JetBlue and Hammond Stadium could get repairs soon

Reporter: Breana Ross
Published: Updated:
JetBlue Park and Hammond Stadium are going to receive some upgrades. (CREDIT: WINK News)

JetBlue Park and Hammond Stadium are in need of repairs.

And they’re not going to be cheap to fix.

Earlier this year, Lee County spent upwards of $200,000 to repair cracks at JetBlue Park. Back in 2014 and 2015, Lee County spent more than $48 million to renovate the CenturyLink Complex and Hammond Stadium.

“It really caused a concern because the work that was done on the stadiums was really not done long ago,” said Lee County Commissioner Brian Hammond, who is also chairman of the Tourist Development Council.

“We wanted to go back to the contractors, the folk who built that stadium and ask them, is this the kind of work you all really expect and will you stand by your work when things need to be fixed,” Hammond said.

Manhattan Construction said it will step to the plate. They’ll pay for an engineer to inspect the stadiums and they’ll pay for necessary repairs.

They will do it without interfering with spring training.

“Hammond Stadium and JetBlue Park are not the only places where Manhattan Construction has scored contracts to do work,” Hammond said. “They also scored a contract to do the airport expansion here at RSW.”

The engineer will do a walk-through of both stadiums and report back to the Lee County commissioners in November with a list of the necessary repairs.

“Once we knew that they were going to stand by their work and do the agreement with us on the stadiums, we felt comfortable moving forward with the airport,” Hammond said.

County commissioners authorized the expansion during a meeting on Tuesday, according to a news release.

The project will cost $331 million and will include streamlining checkpoints, adding concession space and providing more amenities for passengers to enjoy.

The construction is set to begin in October and could last three years, according to the press release.

The project is being funded with grants from the Florida Department of Transportation, Passenger Facility Charges, airport revenue bonds and Lee County Port Authority construction funds.

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