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3 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEBER 20, 2021 BIZ BRIEFS Survey: Slim majority of CT employers approve of government vaccine mandate; 37% opposed A recent survey of Connecticut companies suggests employers are divided over government vaccine mandates — an issue likely to come into sharper focus as President Joe Biden's administration works out the details of a sweeping new mandatory vaccination rule for large businesses. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association reported that 52% of respondents were supportive of government-issued vaccine requirements, while 37% were opposed and 11% were unsure. The CBIA's survey was conducted in August, before Biden's new vaccination policy was announced, but the figures still offer insight into how businesses may be responding to the federal mandate, which comes as COVID-19 infection rates remain elevated. The study found that 24% of responding companies reported workforce vaccination rates of 100%, while 42% said their immunization rates fell between 75% and 99% and 17% between 50% and 74%. Biden's mandate would require employers with more than 100 workers to have their workforce fully vaccinated or tested weekly for the coronavirus. Healthcare workers at facilities receiving funds from federal entitlement programs would face the same choice. Patricia Miglowiec, a registered nurse, prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at the Torrington Area Health District. Hartford's XL Center. Amazon will occupy this 182,000-square-foot South Windsor warehouse at 240 Ellington Road. PHOTO | YEHYUN KIM, CT MIRROR HBJ FILE PHOTO HBJ PHOTO | GREG BORDONARO CRDA moves slowly as it explores sports betting at XL Center The entity that operates the XL Center in Hartford is moving slowly as it explores the possibility of establishing a gaming facility there. The Capital Region Development Authority is in discussions with the Connecticut Lottery Corp. on bringing gaming to the center, CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth said at a Sept. 10 meeting of the authority's venue committee. "It's not like there's a sports-betting parlor that's going to fly from the sky and land as a tenant in the XL," Freimuth said. "It just isn't going to happen that easily. It's likely that we're going to have to initiate it." If the authority decides on a sports- themed restaurant with betting, it can't be a money-loser, Freimuth said. "We've got to run it in the black," he said. "And it's going to have to survive on a simple [profit and loss]. That's the trick we're up against." It makes the most sense for Spectra, the company that operates XL Center, to run a restaurant featuring sports betting because the company has necessary health and liquor licences, personnel and an organizational relationship with the center, Freimuth said. Another possibility is setting up gaming kiosks throughout the facility for people to wager during sporting events. Amazon to occupy new S. Windsor warehouse built on speculation A multimillion-dollar South Windsor warehouse distribution facility built on speculation has landed a tenant. And to the surprise of few people in Greater Hartford's industrial real estate industry it's e-commerce giant Amazon, which has significantly increased its presence in the state in recent years. Amazon has signed a long-term lease at the 182,000-square-foot facility at 240 Ellington Road, the Hartford Business Journal has confirmed. The company's signage is already prominently displayed at the entranceway and on the building. South Windsor approved construction of the facility in 2019. It is being developed by Indiana-based Scannell Properties, which has been an active builder of industrial facilities in Greater Hartford. The new South Windsor distribution hub, which is still under construction, is scheduled to open next year. It sits across the street from Scannell's Coca-Cola industrial plant at 329-359 Ellington Road. CT tourism office launch- es $1.4M fall marketing campaign The state's tourism office will be spending more money than usual this fall in an effort to market Connecticut's autumnal draws. "Full Color Connecticut" — a tribute to the state's vibrant foliage — will promote seasonal attractions such as county fairs, corn mazes, scenic drives, orchards and breweries, alongside tourism mainstays like casinos, theaters and shops. The campaign, expected to run through Nov. 20, will cost $1.4 million, nearly triple what the tourism office usually invests in its fall marketing Promotional materials for "Full Color Connecticut." 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