Hartford Business Journal

2 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | XXXXXXX XX, 2022 Biz Briefs Tel: (860) 236-9998 | Fax: (860) 570-2493 Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Hartford Business Journal P.O Box 330 Congers, NY 10920-9894 Subscriptions Annual subscriptions are $132.00. To subscribe, visit HartfordBusiness.com, email circulation@ hartfordbusiness.com, or call (845) 267-3008. Advertising For advertising information, please call (860) 236-9998. Please address all correspondence to: Hartford Business Journal, 100 Allyn Street, Suite 3, Hartford, CT 06103 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-Hart- ford-Business-Journal Daily e-newsletters: HBJ Today, CT Morning Blend: www.hartfordbusiness.com/enewsletters Hartford Business Journal (ISSN 1083-5245) is published bi-weekly, 27x per year — including two special issues in November and December — by New England Business Media, LLC, 100 Allyn Street, Suite 3, Hartford, CT 06103. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and at additional entry points. Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com Tom Curtin | President, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Editorial Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139 gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com Drew Larson | Web Editor, ext. 121 alarson@hartfordbusiness.com Michael Puffer | Staff Writer, ext. 145 mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Real Estate, Economic Development, Banking & Finance Hanna Snyder Gambini | Staff Writer hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Economic Development, Arts, Culture & Tourism Skyler Frazer | Staff Writer, ext. 145 sfrazer@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Manufacturing, Cannabis, Technology, Transportation David Krechevsky | Staff Writer, ext. 702 davidk@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Health Care, Bioscience Stephanie R. Meagher | Research Director Heide Martin | Research Assistant Steve Laschever | Photographer Business Tom Curtin | Publisher, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Jessica M. Quinn | General Manager, ext. 137 jquinn@hartfordbusiness.com David Hartley | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 130, dhartley@HartfordBusiness.com Daniel Schilke | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 135, dschilke@HartfordBusiness.com Emily Paskind | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 133, epaskind@hartfordbusiness.com Jaime O'Connor | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 136, joconnor@hartfordbusiness.com Donna Hogan | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 101, dhogan@hartfordbusiness.com Tracy Rodwill | Human Resources Manager trodwill@nebusinessmedia.com Production Bartosz Zinowko | Production Director, ext. 147 bzinowko@hartfordbusiness.com A rendering of Connecticut United Football Club's envisioned stadium in Bridgeport. New minor league soccer team, stadium planned for Bridgeport C onnecticut is home to millions of sports fans and very few profes- sional sports teams. Millionaire tech entrepreneur André Swan- ston, a UConn graduate and Ridgefield resident, has ambitions to change that. Swanston and representatives from Major League Soccer's develop- ment league, MLS NEXT Pro, recently announced the league's newest addition, Connecticut United Football Club, which plans to play in a brand new waterfront stadium in Bridgeport beginning in 2025. Swanston founded the team's ownership group, Connecticut Sports Group, and is leading efforts to secure approvals for the stadium complex — a develop- ment that includes a hotel, retail and dining properties, community park space and housing — on the former site of a dog-racing track. To support the stadium and team, Swanston and the CT Sports Group will be looking for corporate sponsors, but they also anticipate seeking public funding. "We're in the early stages of trying to create what we think can be a great public-private partnership on this," Swanston said. "I can't say what dollar amount we're going to need from the state, or ask for, but I can tell you there will be a higher percentage of private capital than any of the other large stadiums or entertainment venues." Erica E. Phillips | CT Mirror. Breeze Airways to launch new Bradley flights to Cincinnati, San Diego Breeze Airways announced it will be launching new summer seasonal services between Bradley International Airport and the cities of Cincinnati and San Diego. The low-cost carrier said it will add a direct flight to the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport starting May 2. The flight will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport is in Kentucky but serves the Cincinnati tri-state area. Additionally, Breeze said it will offer daily summer seasonal service between Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks and San Diego International Airport starting May 1. The flight will be part of the airline's BreezeThru service, which includes one stop, but passengers do not have to change planes, the carrier said. Private equity firm buys Meriden HVAC contractor Plimpton & Hills A Meriden-based HVAC contractor, Plimpton & Hills Corp., has been acquired by a private equity firm headquartered in Atlanta. Grove Mountain Partners announced it has acquired a majority stake in the company, which has 12 locations in Connecticut, three in Massachu- setts and two in New York. Plimpton & Hills was fami- ly-owned for 125 years. Deal terms weren't disclosed. As part of the deal, Plimpton & Hills executive vice president, Susan Montgomery, is being promoted to president. Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman with Connecticut Airport Authority Executive Director Kevin Dillon. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Eversource offices in downtown Hartford. HBJ FILE PHOTO Fitch downgrades Eversource's credit rating as offshore wind uncertainty looms Fitch Ratings has downgraded utility company Eversource Ener- gy's long-term issuer default rating a notch from BBB+ to BBB. A BBB rating indicates that expec- tations of default risk are currently low, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair the business' capacity for payment of financial commitments. Also, Eversource's short-term issuer default rating was down- graded from F2, which means "a good capacity for timely payment," to "F3," or "adequate capacity for timely payment." Eversource's senior debt was downgraded from BBB+ to BBB. Fitch said its decision reflects "continuing uncertainty around the sale of the three offshore wind projects under development." Eversource recently announced an impairment of up to $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023 as it prepares to sell its 50% stake in three proj- ects, known as South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind. All three projects are joint ventures with Danish company Ørsted. According to Fitch, Eversource's offshore wind assets are expected to sell for less than previously anticipated. The costs of the three projects have been increasing due to supply issues and power price adjustments, Fitch said. Telehealth company Hims & Hers partners with Hartford HealthCare Hartford HealthCare has part- nered with San Francisco-based multispecialty telehealth company Hims & Hers to expand access to in-person healthcare services. Hartford HealthCare is among a number of healthcare systems in Hims & Hers' network, which spans 11 states and Washington, D.C. The partnership allows medical providers on the platform to refer patients to Hartford HealthCare's primary and specialty providers for in-person care. Hims & Hers has begun providing more personalized treatments, including heart health and weight loss programs. Its services also include treatment for sexual health, mental health, hair loss and dermatology.

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