ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY, PROFESSIONAL SPORTS OPERATION, or Similar Use at TOTAL MORTGAGE AREA

Closed State & local contract opportunity

Solicitation number
PEX042265
State
Connecticut
Responses due

Opportunity facts

Jurisdiction
UNSPSC codes
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Point of contact

Opportunity details come from procurement.opengov.com. Updated .

About this opportunity

Written by GovTribe AI ·

The City of Bridgeport Office of Planning and Economic Development, in partnership with the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, is requesting proposals for the reuse, redevelopment, and operation of Total Mortgage Arena, a municipally owned 10,000-seat multipurpose entertainment and sports venue in downtown Bridgeport, with proposals due June 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. No set-aside or preference program is identified.

The Arena, located at 600 Main Street, previously served as home ice for the Bridgeport Islanders AHL affiliate and has hosted major touring acts, concerts, comedy, and regional events. The City seeks experienced developers and operators capable of year-round programming and facility utilization following the team's relocation. Proposals must demonstrate commitment to strengthening physical, functional, and economic connections between the Arena and surrounding neighborhoods and supporting Bridgeport's positioning as the "Arts and Entertainment Capital of Connecticut."

Required submittals include a formal letter of interest; detailed business and operational descriptions with annual employment projections and ten-year operating pro formas; capital budgets specifying sources and uses of funds; preliminary economic impact analyses; commercial or trade references including at least one from a lender; and evidence of successful experience managing similar facilities and public-private partnerships. The anticipated development and operating agreement will run at least ten years with renewal options and will specify private investment requirements, capital improvement timelines, reserve funding obligations, performance benchmarks, and default measures.

The City will provide approximately $8 million in remaining State of Connecticut Special Act grant funding for capital improvements; any additional capital support requires municipal and state approval. All facility modifications and improvements become City property upon completion. Proposals are evaluated on quality with emphasis on economic impact (40 percent), experience developing or operating similar businesses (30 percent), and organizational and financial capacity (30 percent). Professional services insurance requirements include Workers' Compensation ($100,000 per accident / $500,000 disease), Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1 million per accident), and Professional Liability ($1 million per claim / $1 million aggregate) maintained for seven years post-completion. Written questions were due May 21, 2026; an anticipated 90-day review period follows submission, with a selection committee comprising City, state, and regional stakeholders conducting review.

Opportunity text

The City of Bridgeport Office of Planning and Economic Development, in partnership with the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, seeks proposals for the reuse, redevelopment, and operation of the Total Mortgage Arena -- the municipally owned, 10,000 seat, multipurpose regional entertainment and sports venue located in the heart of downtown Bridgeport.

A landmark in southwestern Connecticut, the Arena has served as the home ice for the American Hockey League affiliate of the Bridgeport Islanders for the past 25 years. It has also hosted many storied concerts, family shows, and regional events. Such musical greats as Elton John and Andrea Bocelli have graced the stage. Big names like Kevin Hart and Katt Williams have brought the laughs. Large scale touring productions have called the Arena home: Disney on Ice, the Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Professional Bull Riders Tour, the Harlem Globetrotters. Many Connecticut families have also attended community events and graduations at the facility. Twinned with the iconic, open-air, 6,000 seat Hartford Health Care Amphitheater, the Arena anchors the City's reputation as the region's year-round hub for big name entertainment and community celebrations.

Now it is time to write the next chapter in the Arena's history.

The State of Connecticut and the City of Bridgeport stand ready in partnership and with capital support. The City seeks developers and operators who are ready to rejuvenate the facility: to generate jobs and economic impact, to strengthen Connecticut's tourism economy, to enhance the City's transit-oriented development opportunities, and to deliver equitable community benefits to Bridgeport residents and surrounding neighborhoods.

Files

File Type Posted
ENTERTAINMENT_FACILITY,_PROFESSIONAL_SPORTS_OPERATION,_or_Similar_Use_at_TOTAL_MORTGAGE_AREA_(Addendum_#8_Revision).pdf PDF

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