Mapp, Other Officials, Mark Paul E. Joseph Stadium Groundbreaking As Important Step In Revitalizing St. Croix

ST. CROIX — It was the second of its kind, but this time — at least according to Governor Kenneth Mapp and other officials who spoke at the groundbreaking event for the Paul E. Joseph Stadium today — the vision was bigger, better, and more in line with a project that commenced some 15 years ago, with the aim of revitalizing Frederiksted.

Even the groundbreaking occasion, unlike the first back in 2014, came with grandeur. The Mapp administration erected two tents, the larger to host community members, and a smaller one positioned to the east of the field facing the larger tent, to host dignitaries, among them Mr. Mapp, Lieutenant Governor Osbert Potter, Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, Senate President Myron Jackson, and Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Pedro Cruz, whose department has a vested interest in the project’s development.

“Governor thank you for securing the needed funds for this project, which will give the people of St. Croix a very good and long-lasting product which residents and visitors will enjoy for many generations to come,” said Mr. Cruz.

His talk was followed by that of Ms. Plaskett, who, like others, spoke of the potential impact of sports tourism on St. Croix’s economy because of the stadium. “This project is a true commitment to the fortitude and development of the future of the entire Virgin Islands,” she said.

Mr. Jackson reminded the audience of the 32nd Legislature’s efforts in making funding available for the project. The Senate president, a historian, also gave a short history on the town of Frederiskted, stating that it was built by African ancestors. To that end, Mr. Jackson lauded the stadium project as progress that “treasures the best of our historic town of Frederiksted, and seeks to infuse it with vibrant energy we know it deserves.”

Dignitaries participate in Paul E. Joseph Stadium groundbreaking. (Ernice Gilbert, VIC)

Mr. Potter, reveling in the proud moment for the administration, hailed the day not as one for politics (he took a jab at Democrats nonetheless, currently fighting amongst themselves on the Kevin Rodriquez matter), but a day for the people of the territory, specifically the people of St. Croix and more pointedly, Frederiksted. Mr. Potter said the project, once complete, will bring “big time” economic development to the island. The lieutenant governor later called on attendees to give the governor a standing ovation for his efforts.

General Engineering Corporation (G.E.C.) President John Wessel spoke of the expanded vision of the governor, and how the project had changed in scope compared to when G.E.C. was originally contracted under the de Jongh administration to build the stadium. “It is truly a remarkable difference between what was originally contracted and what is going to be built,” Mr. Wessel said. He revealed that the designs that were on display were not simply pretty pictures, “These pictures are the results of two years of hard design work,” he said. Mr. Wessel said the stadium was designed by the company that designed the new ballpark for the New York Yankees, the Populous design group.

The project will most likely be completed beyond Mr. Mapp’s first term in office, as the original, smaller plan, estimated 2.5 years of work. Mr. Wessel said his company will work with the Department of Labor to ensure that abled locals receive employment. G.E.C., Mr. Wessel also made known, was founded 50 years ago in the territory, and has worked exclusive within the islands. “Our motto, and we plan to keep it with this project, is ‘building the Virgin Islands with Virgin Islanders,'” he concluded.

Frontal rendering of Paul E. Joseph Stadium.

Harvey Sasso, president of Coastal Systems Development, Inc., who was involved in the first charrette for the Frederiksted Economic Revitalization Project back in 2002, spoke of how the project came together after officials had listened to the Frederiksted community’s desires. At the time, Mr. Mapp was the head of the Public Finance Authority and was heavily invested in the project himself. The end result of the first phase is the beauty that is the Frederiksted waterfront today, which includes the Verne Richards Veterans Park, Strand Street, the waterfront parks, the Eliza James-McBean Clock Tower, and the Ann E. Abramson Pier.

Today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium represented phase two of the revitalization effort, and Mr. Mapp, during his talk, gave a little perspective as to how the vision was born. At the time, cruise ships had announced that they would stop coming to St. Croix, and then-Governor Charles Turnbull, who Mr. Mapp worked for at the PFA, asked Mr. Mapp for ideas that would revitalize the town.

It was part of the reason, Mr. Mapp said, he halted the stadium that former Governor John P. de Jongh had approved. The governor said although he was pleased to learn that the stadium was being built, he was concerned that it did not meet the criteria of the revitalization effort. And so upon taking office in January 2015, Mr. Mapp said one of his first set of actions was to review the project, and after having a look at it, the governor told the audience today that he said, “Nuttin tal guh suh,” local dialect that simply means he would not allow the project to continue with the 2014 design.

Today, however, Mr. Mapp expressed confidence in the final design after over two years of delay, stating that the project was more than a stadium, representing a far broader vision for the west town. “We’re not trying to build a stadium, we’re trying to revitalize, from an economic perspective, the town of Frederiskted and the island of St. Croix,” he said. Mr. Mapp said the stadium, once done, will serve not only as an attraction for tourists (he expects sports tourism to takeoff in a big way way, and said that multiple U.S. college sports organizations that are part of the NCAA have expressed strong interest in visiting the territory for training), but also for residents of the territory, whose families are raised here.

The stadium will cost just over $20 million, as the Senate recently approved an additional $480,000. Mr. Mapp spoke of an additional $7 million for another extension, telling senators at yesterday’s event that he knew where the funds would come from.

As for the length of time it took for work to start, Mr. Mapp said, “Good things come to those who wait. Rushy rushy don’t work, and in the administration of Mapp and Potter, we’re not rushing to do nothing. We want to make sure that what we do, we do well; that it is sustaining, and it is something that makes all of us proud.”