Hartford Business Journal

10 Hartford Business Journal • June 22, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com THE LIST Largest entertainment & sporting venues in Connecticut (Ranked by estimated 2014 attendance) Rank Venue 2014 attendance Employees/ volunteers Profit or nonprofit Description Top executive Year founded 1 Foxwoods Resort Casino 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT 06338 800-369-9663; www.foxwoods.com 8,400,000 (1) 5,301 Profit Hospitality, entertainment, gaming, retail, dining, golf, spa and hotel Felix D. Rappaport President & CEO 1992 2 Mohegan Sun 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT 06382 888-226-7711; mohegansun.com 7,300,000 (2) 6,900 (3) Profit Entertainment, gaming, dining, shopping, hotel, spa and meetings/conventions Ray Pineault President & General Manager 1996 3 Mohegan Sun Arena 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT 06382 860-862-8000; www.mohegansun.com 800,000 NA Profit 10,000-seat arena hosting major global touring recording artists, comedians, ESPN2 Friday Night Fights and home of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun Tom Cantone Senior Vice President of Sports & Entertainment for MTGA 2001 3 XL Center 1 Civic Center Plaza Hartford, CT 06103 860-249-6333; www.xlcenter.com 800,000 NA Profit Hosts Hartford Wolf Pack, UConn basketball, concerts and family entertainment Chris Lawrence General Manager 1977 5 Webster Bank Arena (4) 600 Main St. Bridgeport, CT 06604 203-345-2300; www.websterbankarena.com 750,000 (5) NA Profit Provides family entertainment including Sound Tigers hockey and Fairfield University NCAA basketball 2001 6 Mystic Aquarium 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-5955; www.mysticaquarium.org 675,776 224 220 Nonprofit New England's year-round hands-on aquarium Stephen M. Coan President and CEO 1973 7 The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, CT 06854 203-852-0700; www.maritimeaquarium.org 435,899 80 288 Nonprofit Exhibits sharks, seals, sea turtles, jellyfish, river otters and other animals native to Long Island Sound and its watershed; study cruises, educational programs and IMAX movie theater Brian Davis President & CEO 1988 8 The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts 166 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06106 860-987-6044; www.bushnell.org 350,000 55 (6) 600 Nonprofit With two performance halls and multiple public event spaces, The Bushnell hosts more than 450 events annually, including Broadway tours, symphonies, family entertainment, local arts and community events David Fay President & CEO 1929 9 Connecticut Science Center 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06103 860-724-3623; www.ctsciencecenter.org 347,576 79 4 Nonprofit Science-based museum, educational and tourism venue Matt J. Fleury President & CEO 2009 10 New Britain Stadium 230 John Karbonic Way New Britain, CT 06050 860-224-8383; www.rockcats.com 302,865 NA NA Stadium hosts 71 home games of the New Britain Rock Cats, a Double-A baseball team affiliated with the Minnesota Twins Tim Restall General Manager 1973 11 Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-0711; www.mysticseaport.org 301,000 NA 600 Nonprofit Maritime museum featuring historic tall ships, a working preservation shipyard, a re-created seafaring village, exhibits and more Stephen C. White President 1929 12 Rentschler Field 615 Silver Ln. East Hartford, CT 06118 860-610-4700; www.rentschlerfield.com 296,740 NA Profit Hosts University of Connecticut football as well as concerts, international soccer matches, and family entertainment and exhibitions Chris Lawrence General Manager 2003 13 XFINITY Theatre 61 Savitt Way Hartford, CT 06120 203-269-8721; www.livenation.com 291,977 NA NA Indoor/outdoor amphitheater with a capacity of more than 24,000. Jim Koplik Randy McArthur President, Connecticut-Upstate New York General Manager NA 14 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo 1875 Noble Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06610 203-394-6565; www.beardsleyzoo.org 280,000 42 200 Nonprofit 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species; South American rainforest with aviary, prairie dog exhibit, farmyard; hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, café, picnic grove, indoor carousel Gregg Dancho Zoo Director 1922 15 Grand Theater 39 Norwich Westerly Rd. Mashantucket, CT 06339 800-200-2882; www.foxwoods.com 242,684 NA NA Theater featuring performers, concerts, sporting events and off-Broadway shows Monique Sebastian Vice President Entertainment and Entertainment Marketing 2008 16 Quassy Amusement & Waterpark 2132 Middlebury Rd. Middlebury, CT 06762 203-758-2913; www.quassy.com 210,000 NA Profit Family amusement and waterpark on Lake Quassapaug with more than two-dozen rides and attractions George Frantzis II co-owner 1908 17 Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park 205 E. Thompson Road Thompson, CT 06277 860-923-2280; www.thompsonspeedway.com 200,000 5,075 20 NA Runs NASCAR short track racing featuring modifieds, late models, limited sportsman and late model divisions. The facility also includes a 1.7 mile road course hosting sports car and motorcycle events Donald J. Hoenig Jonathan Hoenig Donald R. Hoenig Owner CEO Owner 1940 18 Dodd Stadium 14 Stott Ave. Norwich, CT 06360 860-887-7962; cttigers.com 185,000 (7) 159 (8) Profit Single-A minor league baseball team of the Detroit Tigers C.J. Knudsen Eric Knighton Senior Vice President Vice President & General Manager 1995 (9) 19 Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre 95 S. Turnpike Rd. Wallingford, CT 06492 203-269-8721; http://specialevents.livenation.com 180,841 NA NA Year-round concert venue and event space for graduations, weddings, parties, proms, galas, meetings and more Natalie Krohn Director of Sales - Special Events 1954 20 Lime Rock Park 497 Lime Rock Rd. Lakeville, CT 06039 860-435-5000; www.limerock.com 125,000 NA Profit Major races include IMSA, SCCA, Trans-Am, Tudor United Sports Car Championship; Historic festival Skip Barber Georgia Blades President CEO 1957 21 Goodspeed Musicals 6 Main St. East Haddam, CT 06423 860-873-8668; www.goodspeed.org 120,000 65 40 NA Three musicals produced each year at the Opera House in East Haddam and additional productions at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester Michael Gennaro Executive Director 1963 22 Shubert Theater 247 College St. New Haven, CT 06510 203-624-1825; www.shubert.com 115,257 (10) NA 280 Nonprofit Present Broadway, dance, opera, cabaret and family entertainment John Fisher 1914 23 Fox Theater 39 Norwich Westerly Rd. Mashantucket, CT 06338 800-200-2882; www.foxwoods.com 113,924 NA NA Theater featuring comedy, music, and international talent Monique Sebastian Vice President Entertainment and Entertainment Marketing 1992 24 The Warner Theatre 68 Main St. Torrington, CT 06790 860-489-7180; www.warnertheatre.org 100,000 36 800 Nonprofit Former movie palace now hosting more than 170 performances, including family entertainment and national performing artists, performing arts school, 300-seat black box theater and 8,000-square-foot costume shop Lynn Gelormino Executive Director 1931 25 Hartford Stage Co. 60 Church St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-527-5151; www.hartfordstage.org 80,307 76 Nonprofit Tony award-winning theater producing six main stage productions and A Christmas Carol Michael Stotts Darko Tresnjak Managing Director Artistic Director 1964 Source: Individual venues. Lake Compounce was contacted but did not respond to the survey for this year's list or declined to participate. (1) Figure is approximate. (2) Average daily attendance is 20,000. (3) Figure is approximate. (4) Formerly called Arena at Harbor Yard. (5) Estimate. (6) Full time. (7) 78,118 for Tigers games. (8) 9 full time, 150 part time event staff. (9) Connecticut Tigers 2010. (10) 2013-2014 season. —Compiled by Roger Magnus. To view the full list, please visit HartfordBusiness.com

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