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12 Hartford Business Journal • September 21, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Mohegan develops large gatherings playbook M ohegan Sun is not waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine before welcoming guests to its $80-million Earth Expo & Convention Center that counted more than 500,000 visitors last year. Led by its own health depart- ment, and millions of dollars invested in new safety measures, Mohegan has been able to recently hold a few large gatherings in its 275,000-square-foot indoor event space because the casino and en- tertainment complex sits on tribal land — which means it's free to welcome crowds beyond the state's 25-person capacity limit. In recent weeks, Mohegan hosted Events contractor goes virtual amid venue closures S cott Demers is used to serving consum- er shows, confer- ences and parties with at least 400 people. But the coronavirus pandemic, and subsequent state restrictions on indoor gatherings, has limited indoor event capacity to just 25 people, including staff. Additionally, many convention, meeting and event ven- ues in Connecticut are closed until the state launches the third phase of its economic reopening plan. That's why Demers, owner and founder of East Hartford-based De- mers Exposition Services Inc., which provides audiovisual (AV) equipment, installation, and other show manage- ment services, pivoted this summer and built a handful of temporary stu- dios — including one in downtown Hartford — for virtual events. The studios, which are meant to salvage Here's how Mohegan Sun's convention center, East Hartford expo producer operate in a pandemic By Joe Cooper jcooper@hartfordbusiness.com FOCUS: MEETINGS & VENUES Disinvested A Hartford Foundation Podcast Ep. 8: Normal Doesn't Work Featuring: • Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize winner and creator of the NY Times 1619 Project • Jason Rojas, State Rep for CT's 9th Assembly District • Dr. Peniel Joseph, author and professor of history at UT Austin • AND MORE! disinvested.com Available now on all major podcast apps: Listen for an in-depth look at how COVID-19 and social justice protests have exposed longstanding racial and economic disparities. Continued on page 14 >> Hartford Promise President Richard Sugarman stands in a Connecticut Convention Center studio where he live broadcasted an event in June. Mohegan Sun recently hosted an orientation for the 2021 Miss America Pageant with about 200 participants, some of whom are shown above maintaining social distance. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED