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A 2019 illustration of a conceptual plan for Olson Drive.
ANSONIA — A Bridgeport developer’s goal of building a $15.5 million indoor/outdoor sports complex on Olson Drive moved forward Tuesday.
The Board of Aldermen, during its meeting Tuesday (Feb. 7), unanimously authorized Mayor David Cassetti and his staff to “negotiate, draft, finalize and execute” a contract to sell vacant land on Olson Drive to the Primrose Companies for $510,000.
According to the resolution passed Tuesday, the city will offer a yet-to-be determined tax break on the property. The details of that agreement will come back to the Aldermen for approval.
One of the terms in a resolution the Alderman approved asks Guedes to work with the city to offer “facility space, financial discounts, or a combination of both,” to Ansonia residents.
John Guedes, president & CEO of the Primrose Companies, said Wednesday he is working to seal the deal.
The Olson Drive property previously housed an 11-building complex of 160 government-subsidized housing named Riverside Apartments, which the city demolished in 2016. The complex was outdated and had fallen into disrepair. It is owned by the Ansonia Housing Authority.
The Cassetti administration is working with the Ansonia Housing Authority to acquire the land for $510,000.
“The city contemplates purchasing the property from AHA just prior to selling it to Primrose,” Ansonia Corporation Counsel John Marini said. “$510,000 is both the purchase and sale price.”
The city will pay the housing authority in phases, starting first with a $300,000 payment. Primrose will pay the city the full $510,000 when it closes its real estate contract with the city.
The Cassetti administration also worked to have the department of Housing and Urban Development to remove a deed restriction from the land.
The vacant, fenced-in property is currently generating no taxes, but with a private development, city officials predict the project will generate six-figures in annual tax revenue.
Guedes wants to build a 39,000-square foot indoor soccer facility and a FIFA regulation-sized outdoor soccer field, as well as a second, 49,000-square-foot, multi-sports facility/and/or NCAA indoor skating rink. Guedes said he has lined up Ole Soccer, based in Fairfield, to occupy the soccer training space. He said Ole Soccer currently has 24 soccer teams from across Connecticut that train at the Fairfield facility. According to a letter of intent that Guedes accepted from Ole Soccer, both the facility and outdoor soccer field will be used “for soccer team sporting events, training and entertainment.”
Guedes said he’s also negotiating with a few different sports providers to take up shop in the larger building. He is confident the facility will be a major boon not only to Ansonia but the entire Naugatuck Valley.
“This is going to be a facility that currently doesn’t exist in the Valley,” Guedes said. “It will be a fantastic addition to the Ansonia downtown, and the Valley, in general, and will bring a lot of good people in and help the local business economy.”
While nearby Shelton’s Sports Center on River Road serves as a major source of recreation for the area, Guedes said that facility is primarily “retail,” whereas the Ansonia facility will be focused on sports training.
“Ansonia is a sports town, it’s a city that was built up around sports, so this (Guedes’ proposal) is a natural fit,” said Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley.
Guedes said he has architects and engineers in place working on a site plan, which he’ll submit to the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission.
Guedes said he’s hoping to get the facility up and running by spring 2023.
