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Bridgeport and Connecticut are negotiating with an unnamed preferred respondent to operate Total Mortgage Arena, but no new operator has been awarded the venue. As of October 9, 2026, officials said due diligence and negotiations were underway; the City Council must approve any selection under the request for proposals (RFP).
Who is the preferred bidder for Bridgeport arena?
Officials have not publicly identified the preferred respondent. Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Matt Pugliese said the city had identified one and was negotiating with it, while Bridgeport Chief Administrative Officer Thomas Gaudett said no respondent had been told it was out of the running. The talks are therefore not a final award, and the other proposals have not been formally eliminated.
The Connecticut Post reported on October 9, 2026, that six entities submitted proposals to operate the municipally owned, 10,000-seat downtown arena after the Bridgeport Islanders departed following their 25th season. The city and state opened the solicitation in mid-April and received proposals in June. Connecticut Post reporting
What concepts did bidders propose?
The available reporting describes several different ideas, but does not publish complete proposal terms that would support a reliable bidder ranking.
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Smaller entertainment spaces
Howard Saffan, a former Islanders president and developer behind the adjacent city-owned concert amphitheater, was described as having been considered a front-runner. His concept would divide the arena interior into smaller spaces for concerts and other non-sports events. Saffan previously described an $80 million plan requiring $50 million in public funds, according to the Connecticut Post. Those amounts describe his earlier proposal, not a confirmed budget, public award, or proof that he is the preferred respondent.
Sports simulation and online gaming
One proposal would turn the building into a venue focused on sports simulations and online gaming. The available account does not establish its proposed costs, operating terms, or whether it is the preferred concept.
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A new minor-league hockey team
The only proposal described as retaining the ice came from Canadian-based hockey consultant and analyst Doug Marshall and partners. They proposed pursuing a new minor-league expansion team in Bridgeport. That remains a proposal, not an approved plan or a guarantee that hockey will return.
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How much public money is available?
The Connecticut Post reported that $8 million remained unspent from a previously announced $30 million state grant for arena upgrades. The remainder is available through that existing grant; no additional public dollars were guaranteed. In 2021, Bridgeport and Connecticut had agreed to split the $30 million in upgrades as part of an effort to keep the Islanders at the arena for another decade. That earlier commitment does not establish the size or source of funding for a new operator.
Governor Ned Lamont said the private sector should take the lead but indicated that state help might be available if needed. He did not specify an amount. The current negotiating party’s funding request, any city contribution, and the terms of a possible agreement were not disclosed in the October 9 report.
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What happens before a new operator can take over?
The city’s RFP was issued by the Department of Public Purchases in partnership with Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development. It sought an operator able to sustain regional sports and entertainment use while delivering economic activity, jobs, tourism and cultural programming, transit-oriented development, and community benefits. The 2026 RFP for Total Mortgage Arena
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- Due diligence and negotiations: City and state officials review the preferred respondent’s proposal and funding request. The state said this work was active as of October 9, 2026.
- Selection process: The RFP calls for a selection committee with at least five representatives from city and state offices and other stakeholders.
- City Council approval: Any selection requires Council approval under the RFP. The selection alone would not grant development rights.
The City Council’s meeting index lists an October 5, 2026 agenda and agenda package, but the index by itself does not establish that the council voted on the arena. Bridgeport City Council agendas and notices
Will hockey return to Bridgeport?
That has not been decided. The Islanders have left, and among the concepts described publicly, Marshall’s proposal is the only one specifically said to preserve the ice and pursue a minor-league team. The other reported ideas center on entertainment or gaming. Until an operator and its plans are approved, neither hockey’s return nor the arena’s future event calendar is settled.
Quick Recap
What is known—and what remains open
- Known: Six entities proposed operating the 10,000-seat municipally owned arena, and officials were negotiating with an unnamed preferred respondent as of October 9, 2026.
- Not established: The preferred respondent’s identity, a final operator award, the final funding package, the arena’s programming, and whether hockey will return.
- Next key approval: City Council approval is required for a selection under the RFP; the selection itself would not confer development rights.
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