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www.HartfordBusiness.com • August 6, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 11 unspecified yearly participation fee. Mandell's group will also pay $300,000 per year for overhead expenses and $25,000 annually to a community fund. In return, the Athletic will receive USL's continued support across all busi- ness platforms. USL President Jake Edwards said the Tampa, Fla., league will help the team gauge TV deals, merchan- dise partnerships, stadium agree- ments, sponsor- ship evaluations, web development, digital support and recruiting. Team officials will soon travel to Florida to learn the league's best practices. Edwards said HSG pitched all the right ingre- dients that have made the USL the nation's fastest-growing league over the last eight years, including a regional ap- petite for pro soccer, a growing business community, committed ownership, civic engagement and stadium opportunities. Hartford was the fifth-highest rated national TV market for ESPN during the 2014 World Cup and 13th for the 2018 World Cup on FOX. Plus, Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford has drawn, on average, more than 29,000 fans for six U.S. men's soccer team games it held between 2005 to 2017. "As we look at Hartford we feel that it strengthens our footprint in the North- east," Edwards said. "We feel good about them and their plan for the team." Help wanted HSG is gearing up to sign 26 to 28 players to USL's standard one- year deals, with 18 players active on gameday. USL salaries are higher than minor league baseball deals, typically ranging from $30,000 to $50,000. The Athletic is allowed to sign seven international players and have already engaged in conversations with nation- al and European players, and others in South America, Central America, Af- rica, Australia, Asia and the Caribbean region. The team will host open and invitation-based tryouts in October. But first the Athletic must hire a head coach and technical director from a pool of 40 applicants. Team officials say the two positions, lead- ing player recruit- ment and coaching and training, could meld into a single lead post. The top five candidates will be interviewed in the next month before a hiring soon after. Under construction CRDA, Mandell says, will lead in August a "com- plete knockdown" of Dillon Stadium, the host of count- less high school football and pro soccer games, and rock concerts by The Beach Boys, Grateful Dead and Rolling Stones. The field, in the shadows of the Sport and Medical Sciences Academy, will be moved east toward Huyshope Avenue to create room for seats closer to the playing field. Artificial turf will be installed to spur community use, and longevity. According to CRDA renovation plans, the field will be ready by April, but a harsh winter, rising fuel costs or tariffs on steel, among other factors, could alter that timeline, CRDA Execu- tive Director Michael Freimuth said. USL will place the Athletic on the road to start its 30-game season in March, which could extend into No- vember with a playoff berth. Mandell's group has met with the Yard Goats' front office several times and plans to continue leveraging their insight on how to build a winning business model in the Capital City. After all, the collaboration fits the Athletic's community-first narrative. "It's exciting from a cultural and economic standpoint," Mandell said of the team attracting a diverse fanbase. "The more success we have as a busi- ness the more we will be able to create for the Hartford region." Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters is launching an innovative mentoring program this fall called Mentor 2.0. The program will be conducted primarily online through emails and instant messages, augmented by monthly in-person get- togethers. Its purpose is to help high school students prepare for college and career by matching them one-to-one with college- educated mentors. CREC's Academy of Science and Innovation in New Britain will collaborate with Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters on Mentor 2.0, enrolling its entire incoming ninth grade class in the program. Bob's Discount Furniture announced that its 2018 golf outing raised $635,000 for children's charities. The money will benefit organizations selected by Bob's Discount Furniture's Charitable Foundation, including the Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, Camp Rising Sun, Family & Children's Aid, The Jimmy Fund, Connecticut Children's Medical Center and Cardinal Cushing Centers. Pictured (left to right): Bob Kaufman and Gene Rosenberg, Bob's Discount Furniture co-founders. Nonprofit Notebook NONPROFIT PROFILE Riverfront Recapture 50 Columbus Blvd., Hartford | riverfront.org Mission To improve central Connecticut's quality of life and urban vitality. Top Executive Michael Zaleski, President & CEO Services Manages the riverfront park system that spans Hartford and East Hartford, including cultural events, entertain- ment, group sports and recreation. FY 2017 SUMMARY 2016 2017 Total Employees 93 99 Total Assets $3,143,400 $3,482,128 Total Liabilities $187,864 $157,533 REVENUES Contributions & Grants $1,794,177 $2,351,333 Program Service Revenue $623,697 $655,011 Investment Income $185,668 $263,603 Other $132,295 $86,997 Total $2,735,837 $3,356,944 EXPENSES Grants $0 $0 Member Benefits $0 $0 Salaries/Employee Benefits $1,608,682 $1,613,550 Fundraising Fees $0 $0 Other $1,173,723 $1,474,653 Total $2,782,405 $3,088,203 Margin $(46,568) $268,741 TOP PAID EXECUTIVES (FY 2017) Base salary Comp. & Benef. Michael Zaleski, President & CEO $127,404 $127,970 Marc Nicol, Director of Park Planning & Development $111,858 $131,258 Peter Morse, Finance Director $91,533 $111,223 Source: Guidestar IRS 990 Tax Form PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED USL Average Team Attendance Independent Year Overall Avg. Club Avg. 2011 2,274 N/A 2012 2,777 N/A 2013 2,611 N/A 2014 3,114 N/A 2015 3,369 4,135 2016 3,439 4,616 2017 4,301 5,694 2018 5,025 6,101 Source: USL The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) will oversee major renovations at the rundown Dillon Stadium beginning in August. HBJ PHOTO | JOE COOPER