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4 Hartford Business Journal • March 4, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Week in Review Briefs Bradley flier count climbs again Passenger traffic through Connecticut's flagship Bradley International Airport climbed for the sixth straight year in 2018, data show. The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced that the Windsor Locks airfield's domestic and international air carriers last year served 6.7 million Bradley passengers, up 3.6 percent from the 6.4 million fliers transported in 2017. It was the sixth consecutive year of higher passenger counts since CAA assumed management of Bradley in 2013, when the total passenger volume that year was just 5.4 million, said CAA Chairman Thomas "Tony" Sheridan. Bradley's annual passenger traffic ranks it as New England's second-largest airport behind Boston's Logan International Airport. Downtown Hartford's Red Roof Inn going upscale Downtown Hartford's Red Roof Inn is being recast with a new name and major renovations that aim to upscale the venue into a boutique hotel, local officials said. Rebranded as The Capitol Hotel, a nod to its proximity to the state Capitol at 440 Asylum St., the facility is currently undergoing a full-scale renovation with upgrades being made to all 96 rooms. The hotel previously operated as a Holiday Inn Express, which closed in 2014, before California-based Packard Hospitality Group LLC renovated and reopened it in April 2016 under Red Roof's "PLUS+" brand. It's now part of the Ascend Hotel Collection, which is owned by Choice Hotels International. MidState to invest millions in growing orthopedic operation With surgeon recruitment sizzling and the number of orthopedic procedures on the rise, Meriden's MidState Medical Center wants to spend $26.2 million to build three new operating rooms. The additions would give MidState, a member of Hartford HealthCare's network of acute-care hospitals, 14 total operating rooms, assuming its recent application is approved by the Office of Health Strategy. Orthopedic-related surgeries at MidState have risen sharply over the past few years, from 1,327 in 2016 to a projected 4,163 this year. That's the result of recruiting 64 new surgeons since 2017. That same year, MidState also established the Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute. The spike in surgeries has stressed operating-room utilization, which is expected to soon exceed optimal thresholds. New zoning laws pave way for E. Hartford brewery A new brewery is being planned on Main Street in East Hartford just weeks after local officials agreed to zoning changes that allow the budding industry in commercial and industrial areas. A group of five partners hailing from Simsbury and Granby were recently granted a special permit from the town's Planning and Zoning Commission to operate a 1,600-square-foot brewery and taproom in former warehouse space at 1277-1287 Main St. The brewery will be called Paddle Creek Beer Co. when it opens this fall, said partner and head brewer Peter Klorer. The local zoning approval was the first step for Paddle Creek to open operations in East Hartford. The partners are currently seeking federal and state distribution licenses. AT&T to relocate Meriden offices; 89 job cuts slated Global telecommunications giant AT&T announced plans to close three call centers in Meriden, resulting in the loss of 89 local jobs. The company informally told affected workers they would be terminated unless they relocated to AT&T offices in Brentwood, Tenn., or Atlanta, Ga. In a statement, AT&T said it's consolidating work in Meriden to "increase efficiency." TOP STORY E. Hartford completes $3.3M purchase of blighted Showcase Cinemas; redevelopment eyed T he town of East Hartford has completed its $3.3 million purchase of the abandoned Showcase Cinemas along I-84 east, according to the mayor, who says the site will be razed and redeveloped. Mayor Marcia Leclerc confirmed the town bought the "blighted structure" on Jan. 31, from Mass.-based National Amusements Inc., which closed the 14-screen movie complex in 2006 after operating it since 1973. The site includes 942, 944, 946 and 960 Silver Lane, and 285 and 291 Forbes St. East Hartford purchased the 25.6-acre site, and 66,000-square-foot building, using state dollars previously allocated to redevelop the Silver Lane site. The town now plans to demolish and clear the vandalized movie theater this summer with hopes of luring a new mixed-use development there. Leclerc said the town will go out to bid after demolition is completed. After several years of planning, Leclerc said the town has an "aggressive path" for the redevelopment. She said the area's dense residential base could support several commercial uses, but didn't offer any specifics. BY THE NUMBERS 3.3% The growth rate of Connecticut's gross domestic product during the third quarter of 2018, which was nearly on par with the U.S. economy's 3.4 percent growth. 1,835 The total number of single-family homes sold during the month of January, which was down 14.5 per- cent from the year-ago period. 2 The number of state legislative seats, including one each from the House and Senate, that Republicans took back as a result of five recent special elections. 6.7M The number of passengers who flew in and out of Bradley International Airport in 2018, which was up 3.6 percent from a year earlier. TOP 5 MOST READ On HartfordBusiness.com • 1. E. Hartford completes $3.3M purchase of blighted Showcase Cinemas • 2. New zoning laws pave way for E. Hartford brewery • 3. AT&T to relocate Meriden offices; 89 job cuts slated • 4. UConn Health: 326,000 could be impacted by recent email breach • 5. Coleman-Mitchell returns to DPH as commissioner STAY CONNECTED For breaking and daily Greater Hartford business news go to www.HartfordBusiness.com HBJ on Twitter: @HartfordBiz HBJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HartfordBiz HBJ on Linkedln: www.linkedin.com/company/ the-Hartford-Business-Journal Daily e-newsletters: HBJ Today, CT Morning Blend www.HartfordBusiness.com/ subscribe Weekly e-newsletters: CT Health Care Weekly www.HartfordBusiness.com/ subscribe The vacant former Showcase Cinemas site in East Hartford will be razed for redevelopment, town officials said. Paddle Creek Beer Co. plans to open an East Hartford brewery this fall. PHOTO | HBJ FILE PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED