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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | September 12, 2022 3 BIZ BRIEFS • Eastern graduates have the ethics, problem-solving and communication skills, and ability to work in teams that you need in your organization. • 41 majors — including Accounting, Data Science, Economics, Business Information Systems, Finance, Health Sciences and more. Eastern Grads . . . www.easternct.edu Job Ready! HBJ Ad 22.indd 1 HBJ Ad 22.indd 1 9/6/22 12:42 PM 9/6/22 12:42 PM oper said plans also call for the purchase of a vacant adjacent lot at 505 Day Hill Road. The two buildings will be demolished and a 170,300-square-foot warehouse built on the 20-acre site. The building will be designed mainly for light logistics or light manufacturing, town officials said. The new building will have room for up to four tenants, but could be occupied by anywhere from one to four operators. Foxwoods announces $85M casino expansion Foxwoods Resort Casino announced that it is developing a new $85 million casino at its Ledyard property that will open next summer, the gaming orga- nization's first major expansion since 2008. The addition will feature a 50,000-square-foot gaming space with table games and slot machines and a celebrity-chef owned restaurant, Foxwoods said. There will also be a high-limit slot area and a 40-seat bar with slot machines. The new casino will be in the Grand Ballroom, located in the Grand Pequot area. Construction is set to begin in November. Other recent expansions include a partnership with Great Wolf Lodge, a high-stakes bingo hall, and dining upgrades. CT Insurance Dept. trims health insurance rate increase requests, but many plans will still see double-digit hikes The cost of health insurance plans on and off Connecticut's Affordable Care Act Exchange will increase next year by as much as 25%, according to final numbers released by the state, deepening concerns about healthcare access. Insurance officials signed off on the rate changes eight weeks after carriers proposed an average increase of 20.4% across individual plans and 14.8% across small group policies. The department approved an average hike of 12.9% on individual plans and 7.9% on small group. The approved changes range from a decrease of 6% on certain policies to increases of 20% and 25% on others. While the average increase approved by the state is lower than the rate requested by the insurance companies, it still represents a signif- icant increase in costs to consumers in the coming year. Jenna Carlesso | CT Mirror Trinity College launching new entrepreneurship center Trinity College is opening a new Center for Entrepreneurship, which school officials said will support students, faculty and alumni hoping to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. The new center will be "student-fo- cused and promote entrepreneurial thinking," said Trinity Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sonia Cardenas. She said the center will provide any liberal arts major with the confidence and "know-how" to turn their innova- tive ideas into action. Cardenas said the new center will allow Trinity to more effectively partner with Hartford's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The center's inaugural director is Danny Briere, who started several firms including technology company TeleChoice. Rocky Hill financial firm acquired by Atlanta-based Merit Financial Merit Financial Advisors, a national financial advisory firm, has entered the Greater Hartford market with the acquisition of a Rocky Hill firm. Atlanta-based Merit Financial announced that it had acquired Brook Wealth Management LLC in Rocky Hill, along with Ceponis Financial Group in Ridgefield. The transaction adds to the company's existing presence in Fairfield County, which includes an office in Wilton. Brook Wealth Management specializes in wealth building, retirement and estate planning, risk management and tax planning. The firm has roughly $103 million in client assets. Ceponis Financial Group focuses on retirement, investment, tax, educational, business, executive compensation, long-term care and insurance planning. Foxwoods Resort Casino PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. 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