Hartford Business Journal

13 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 31 2022 state and federal government have in place," Murdock said. Still, corporate events have struggled through the pandemic because many companies haven't returned to in-office work, Murdock said. As a result, larger hotels in cities like Hartford have experienced prolonged near-record low occupancies. "That corporate business really drives a lot, and the bigger hotels that relied on that are hurting more than the smaller, boutique hotels without meeting spaces," Murdock said. Murdock said the new event center in Bristol will fill a need in Greater Hartford, after several hotels in the area — including The Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell and Farmington Marriott — closed over the past few years. "It's always great to have more venues in the area. There is a need out there," Murdock said. The timing of the Bristol Event Center's planned opening could be fortuitous. Many in the events industry predict a bounce back at the end of this year and early 2023, as long as new COVID variants don't provide further setbacks. "We're bullish on 2023," Frenis said. "People want to get out. There's something about looking someone in the eye, shaking their hand, and doing business face-to-face." He said it's a good sign that many events are being postponed rather than canceled as new COVID-19 variants come out. By 2023, Frenis said he's confident demand will be there. Murdock said the bureau has a positive outlook going forward this year and into 2023. "People want to get back together," Murdock said. ABLE COIL | BOLTON, CT NUMET | ORANGE, CT ELECTRO METHODS | SOUTH WINDSOR, CT MAX TRANSPORTATION | EAST GRANBY, CT Driven By Your Success R e t a i l • I n d u s t r i a l • C o m m e r c i a l • I n s t i t u t i o n a l • E d u c a t i o n • H e a l t h c a r e • R e l i g i o u s PDS Engineering & Construction has been meeting the needs of the construction industry since 1965. Our dedicated team of design and construction professionals welcomes the challenge of serving its past and future customers on their most demanding projects. THINK • PLAN • BUILD 860.242.8586 | pdsec.com conferences to car and boat shows, Niznick said. He said he thinks the facility will become a "destination" location for people wanting to get out of the city for their weddings and events. "We'll be able to accommodate them with first-class facilities, first- class catering and technology," said Niznick, a prosthodontist who became a pioneer in the dental implant field, having amassed a few dozen patents and founded and sold multiple companies. "I think of the saying 'build it and they will come.' I'm feeling very good about my decision to do this." Niznick had no significant ties to Connecticut but in the early 2000s he said he made a loan to an investor who purchased the former Bristol Clarion Hotel on Century Drive, which he eventually took over, renovated and rebranded as the DoubleTree by Hilton, after it fell into foreclosure in 2007. In 2019, Niznick acquired three long-vacant parcels immediately west of the DoubleTree that will house part of the new development, which he said he's self-financing without bank loans. Frenis said he envisions the center's customer base to be 60% social gatherings like weddings, galas and fundraisers, and 40% corporate and business events. The four-story, 90-room HOME2 Suites will have an underground parking and walkway connecting the new hotel with the event center and existing DoubleTree hotel. The DoubleTree currently has a 5,100-square-foot ballroom space that can be divided into three rooms, so there will be several large event spaces on-site. Niznick said he expects major construction to be finished by July, and he hopes to start taking bookings by January 2023. In the meantime, PHG has been hiring key staff for the center. Frenis announced earlier this year that Julia Miller had been appointed general manager of the Bristol Event Center. She was previously director of catering for the Connecticut Convention Center for 10 years. Industry in flux Robert Murdock is the president of the Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau. The state-funded bureau works to find spaces for events, meetings and trade shows in the state. Murdock said that throughout the last two years during COVID-19, different sectors of the events and meetings industry have been negatively impacted more than others. Sports has been the strongest sector, he said, mainly because many games and matches are held outside. "We've been able to have sports using the safety protocols that the Robert Murdock The Bristol Event Center will be on Century Drive adjacent to the existing DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. RENDERING | CONTRIBUTED

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