U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. announced Thursday that construction on the Paul E. Joseph stadium will resume next week now that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR), which caused a temporary halt in construction operations last December because of concerns about flooding.
FEMA’s approval clears the way for the long-awaited rebuild of the stadium, which is an integral part of the Bryan-Roach Administration’s overhaul of Frederiksted that includes renovating and upgrading the Ann E. Abramson Pier, landscaping and other enhancements to the Waterfront Park, rebuilding the Midre Cummings Park, street repairs and paving in Downtown Frederiksted and repairing and refurbishing the Vincent Mason Pool.
“Another hurdle has been cleared as we rebuild bigger and better in Frederiksted and across the Territory. This is yet another capital project that the Administration has moved from ‘proposed’ to ‘underway,” Governor Bryan said. “What is most exciting is that the transformation of Frederiksted is not just being talked about, but it is happening now, and residents can see the work in progress as we enhance the town as another cultural and recreational jewel to increase its prominence in our Tourism offerings to visitors.”
Governor Bryan submitted legislation to the 33rd Legislature in January 2020 to allocate $8.2 million from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund to support the completion of the long-delayed stadium project, which had been undergoing revisions and design changes since its inception during the second term of Governor Charles Turnbull.
The Internal Revenue Matching Fund allocation finally cleared the way for the project’s completion; however, while the project application was under review by FEMA, the federal agency requested additional information regarding portions of the project being located in a floodplain.
Work on the stadium renovation that had been underway was halted in August 2020 pending FEMA’s approval, which the Governor announced today.
Submitting a CLOMR application was the best option to keep the project on budget to address FEMA’s concerns and regulations about the flood plain.
A CLOMR is a letter from FEMA commenting on whether a proposed project, if built as proposed, or proposed hydrology changes would meet minimum National Flood Insurance Program standards.
The Bryan-Roach Administration is investing in the Territory’s people, infrastructure and future through transparency, stabilizing the economy, restoring trust in the government and ensuring that recovery projects are completed as quickly as possible. Visit transparency.vi.gov
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