Long-Stalled Paul E. Joseph Stadium to Start Construction Next Week

Gov. 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 has approved a Conditional Letter of Map Revision.

Plans call for a larger stadium with facilities able to accommodate several sports, and for a permanent venue for the St. Croix Christmas Festival.

FEMA caused a temporary halt in construction operations last December because of concerns about flooding, but the letter approves changes that allow the project to move forward. A Conditional Letter of Map Revision 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 project has been in the works for nearly 20 years but has been delayed repeatedly. Gov. John deJongh Jr. ordered it put back out to bid after concerns arose about one contractor. Gov. Kenneth Mapp then killed the new contract and started the process anew. Mapp ordered work to begin in 2017.

More than $18 million has been spent to date, producing plans and preparatory work but no buildings yet.

In June of 2020, the Senate Finance Committee saw a presentation showing the current status of the Paul E. Joseph Stadium, where millions have been expended for little visible progress. (Provided by the V.I. Legislature)Government House applied for the map revision in December. At that time, officials projected the project would start by May, but that date assumed the map revision would be approved more quickly.

In May, Bryan met with FEMA director Deanne Criswell to try to move the process along.