Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com August 10, 2015 • Hartford Business Journal 5 CORRECTIONS & AMPLIFICATIONS An Aug. 3 article entitled "Waning Influence" incor- rectly said the cost to join Connecticut's medical societies is $1,000 when the combined cost to join the Connecticut State Medical Society and the doctor's respective county medical society is $700-$990, depending on the county. REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK 280 Trumbull Street - Hartford, Connecticut 06103 - www.whcpa.com for Healthcare hittlesey & Hadley accountants are different. We care about our clients, not just their numbers. Our insight and practical advice is original and has been etched into the region's business landscape for more than 50 years. Who wants ordinary out- comes? Our visionary approach to auditing, tax planning, business and technology consulting renders innovative outcomes that will change the way you do business. Put your trust in advisors with real solutions. Let our knowledge create your next masterpiece. W Real Solutions Real Advisors It's An Art CT Convention Bureau sees '15 booking bump as budget challenge looms The statewide entity that markets Connecticut venues and hotels to meeting and sporting-event planners, said it saw a modest increase in signed contracts for events and rooms in the recently conclud- ed fiscal year. The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) said it signed con- tracts for 109 events and 73,000 room nights during fiscal year 2015, which ended June 30. That was up from 100 events and 71,672 room nights in fiscal year 2014, according to H. Scott Phelps, who has led CTCSB since former President Michael Van Parys retired last August. The events are projected to generate $63 million in economic activity for the area economy. That's down from $68 million last year, which Phelps attributed to a change in how the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) calculates the eco- nomic impact of sporting events. In particu- lar, the association lowered revenue projec- tions from youth sporting events, Phelp said. When asked about new upcoming events, Phelps said he was particularly excited about luring the USA Cycling's 2017 cyclo-cross national championships, which will come to Hartford's Riverside Park in January 2017. "It'll fill downtown with cyclists, who are people who can invest in equipment," Phelps said. "They make an economic impact." Hartford had been competing against Louisville, Ky., and other cities for the event, he said. CTCSB will have to fight harder this fis- cal year to beat its previous numbers. That's because its $800,000 contract with the state has been reduced by $100,000, Phelps said. The bureau's entire budget is just over $1 million. In a recent email newsletter to stake- holders and supporters Phelps described the state cut as a "tremendous challenge." It will mean cutting back on the num- ber of people the CTCSB sends to tourism shows to market the state. "We'll have to work smarter and harder and be stronger partners with the hospital- ity community throughout Connecticut," Phelps said. "One good thing here is we have a very veteran staff." — Matt Pilon City sells travel-center lots to Pride for $4.6M The city of Hart- ford reaped more than $4.6 million from its sale of land par- cels totaling about 5 acres to a Springfield convenience-store operator planning a 16-pump-island "trav- el center'' off I-91 and Jennings and Leibert roads, in the North Meadows, the city says. As reported last week, 11 of the Leibert Road lots totaling just over 4 acres that the city's quasi-public Hartford Redevelopment Corp. arm sold in recent months to Pride Convenience Inc. were traded for $392,858 apiece, or $4.3 million, said city Department of Development Services spokeswoman Elisa Hobbs. Three more Leibert Roads lots, total- ing about three-quarters of an acre, sold for $107,142 each, or $321,426. Five abutting Leibert Road parcels totaling about an acre were sold by private owners for unspecified prices, Hobbs said. Pride plans to begin construction this fall on its Hartford travel center, which also will feature Subway sandwich and Wendy's Old- Fashioned Hamburgers counters inside. It, too, will have public showers and other amenities to refresh road-weary truckers who Connecticut authorities say lack a suitable number of rest stops in this state. — Gregory Seay The Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford. Sketch of Pride's proposed Hartford travel center. P H O T O | H B J F I L E R E N D E R I N G | H B J F I L E PDS 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. 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