The upfront cost to construct the field = $11.8 million
Interest payments on the bonds over 15 years = $3-4 million
Replacing the plastic carpet AT LEAST once over 15 years = $2-3 million
Maintenance, repairs, and infill replacement over 15 years = $0.5 million
TOTAL COST over 15 years = $18+ million
$18 million over 15 years = $1,200,000 average ANNUAL cost on this ONE property.
The carpet needs to be replaced every 8-10 years (that’s $2-3 million each time!)
The cost of destroying a natural grass ecosystem cannot be measured in $$$.
The Town Council continues to assert that the revenue stream from the Westfield Crossing PILOT program will fund the majority of the project cost. This is a misleading statement. The Westfield Crossing PILOT payments are back-end loaded. The first 15 years pay less than $8 million (see General Ordinance 2216, p 45).
That leaves over $10 million for taxpayers to fund within the first 15 years.