Arena Project Loses Construction Manager

The break-up leaves the project without a permanent construction manager even as steel continues to rise for the venue. According to team officials, the Springfield, NJ-based Wm. Blanchard Co. is temporarily supervising ongoing work. According to a team spokesman, a new construction manager is expected to be on-board within the next month.

Bovis Hunt is a joint venture of the UK-based Bovis Lend Lease and the Scottsdale, AZ-based Hunt Construction Group that was formed specifically to build sports venues. Blanchard, which specializes in office buildings, institutional facilities and parking structures, is not considered a candidate for the permanent job.

The upheaval comes in the wake of recent suggestions by mayor-elect Corey Booker that the project isn't so far along that it can't be stopped altogether. He has said publicly that he feels the arena involves too much public money--of the total cost, the city is slated to pay $210 million and the Devils the rest under the terms of an agreement between the city and the team. As part of that late-2004 agreement, the city handed off construction responsibility to the team. According to figures released by city manager Richard Monteihl, the city has already spent $80 million so far on the project, with the rest committed through public funding.

According to a Devils spokesman, work on the steel "is still ahead of schedule. We expect the arena to be ready in time for the 2007 season." A Bovis Hunt spokesman declined to comment.