Mapp Wants $9 Million More For Paul E. Joseph Stadium Development And Other F’Sted Projects

ST. CROIX — Governor Kenneth Mapp has asked the Legislature to authorize and appropriate an additional $9 million to complete what the administration has deemed phase 2 of the Frederiksted Revitalization Project, whose centerpiece is the Paul E. Joseph Stadium development. The administration did not provide information on the other projects.

Noting that the amount previously approved for the project did not include costs of civil engineering requirements to protect persons and property in Frederiksted from flooding, the governor said that the original authorization — which the administration now says is $18.65 million, down from $20 million — was not enough.

This takes the Paul E. Joseph Stadium situation into confusing territory; late May, senators approved $480,000, which Mr. Mapp said was needed to acquire additional land to mitigate potential flooding issues, as well as for the enhancement of the stadium for sporting tourism use.

The proposed additional funding would include $6 million from a Limetree Bay Terminals fund originally designated for construction of tanks to store bitumen, which the administration says is not needed by the company at this time. It had long been rumored that the agreement for Limetree Bay to build the tanks, which would have allowed to territory to produce its own asphalt and in turn reduce the cost for road work, had fallen through. The government appears to have waved that portion of the agreement.

Another $2 million would come from the Community Facilities Trust Account created through the Diageo agreement; and another $1 million from the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund.

Mr. Mapp also requested that the Legislature remove the September 30, 2017, deadline for use of $1,750,000 for summer school maintenance.  He says the Department of Education has launched a year-round maintenance schedule, given the age of some school buildings, and requires access to the funds until they are expended.

It remains to be seen how senators will react to the governor’s latest requests. Lawmakers, back in May, hesitantly approved the requested $480,000, believing that work at the stadium would not only start, but be completed, along with the $20 million already allocated for the project since the de Jongh administration. The administration held a groundbreaking ceremony early last month.

“I need to put people to work, I need to put an infrastructure in place, so governor, we’re going to purchase the property on your behalf, and I’m hoping, I’m praying — I’m begging you, let us move on this immediately,” said Sen. Novelle Francis in May.