Hartford Business Journal

10 Hartford Business Journal • May 16, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com To view the full list, please visit HartfordBusiness.com THE LIST Largest tourist attractions in Connecticut (Ranked by estimated 2015 attendance) Rank Attraction 2015 attendance Employees/ Volunteers Description Top executive(s) Year founded 1 Foxwoods Resort Casino 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT 06338 800-369-9663; www.foxwoods.com 12,833,043 6,500 Hospitality, entertainment, gaming, retail, dining, golf, spa and hotel Felix D. Rappaport 1992 2 Mohegan Sun 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT 06382 888-MOHEGAN; mohegansun.com 7,300,000 (1) 6,735 Entertainment, gaming, dining, shopping, hotel, spa, meetings and conventions Ray Pineault 1996 3 Riverfront Recapture 50 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06016 860-713-3131; www.riverfront.org 951,458 96 (2) 1,987 Variety of events and recreational activities Michael Zaleski 1981 4 Mystic Aquarium 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-5955; www.mysticaquarium.org 662,224 250 300 Underwater worlds and creatures including beluga whales, penguins and more; interactive experiences, exhibits and animal adventures Stephen M. Coan 1973 5 Elizabeth Park Conservancy 1561 Asylum Ave. West Hartford, CT 06117 860-231-9443; www.elizabethparkct.org 500,000 5 1,000 Grounds include the oldest municipal rose garden, recreational areas, facilities and more Christine M. Doty Park 1897, Conservancy 1977 6 The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, CT 06854 203-852-0700; www.maritimeaquarium.org 459,829 125 337 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 1988 7 Connecticut Science Center 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06103 860-724-3623; www.ctsciencecenter.org 332,000 143 (3) 44 (3) Science-based museum, educational and tourism venue Matt J. Fleury 2009 8 Bushnell Park (4) P.O. Box 230778 Hartford, CT 06123 860-232-6710; www.bushnellpark.org 300,000 23 (5) Weekly tours of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, and several other monuments in a 38-acre park, including the Corning Fountain, Spirit of Victory and the Horace Wells monument Mary Zeman 1854 9 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo 1875 Noble Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06610 203-394-6565; www.beardsleyzoo.org 280,000 40 (6) 120 300 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 1922 10 Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-0711; www.mysticseaport.org 258,829 350 600 Maritime museum featuring historic tall ships, a working preservation shipyard, a re-created seafaring village, exhibits and more Stephen C. White 1929 11 Yale University Art Gallery 1111 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06510 203-432-0600; artgallery.yale.edu 221,000 132 (7) 32 (7) Oldest college art museum in America, and the third oldest in the world; holds more than 200,000 objects Jock Reynolds 1832 12 Quassy Amusement & Waterpark 2132 Middlebury Road Middlebury, CT 06762 203-758-2913; www.quassy.com 220,000 N/A Family amusement and waterpark on Lake Quassapaug with more than two-dozen rides and attractions George Frantzis II 1908 13 Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre 95 S. Turnpike Road Wallingford, CT 06492 203-269-8721; specialevents.livenation.com 176,649 35 Year-round concert venue and event space for graduations, weddings, parties, proms, galas, meetings and more Natalie Krohn 1954 14 Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (Valley Railroad Co.) 1 Railroad Ave. Essex, CT 06426 860-767-0103; www.essexsteamtrain.com 170,000 200 Narrated steam-train and riverboat excursion, weekend Essex Clipper Dinner Train, seasonal excursions, sunset cruise, fall foliage and Christmas trains such as North Pole Express and Santa Special Kevin Dodd 1971 15 Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511 203-432-5050; www.peabody.yale.edu 145,000 77 337 Jurassic-age dinosaur skeletons from the Peabody's paleontology collections, Rudolph Zallinger's mural "The Age of Reptiles"; exhibits on ancient Egypt, early man, CT geology, CT birds, minerals and meteorites David Skelly 1866 16 Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park (8) 161 Brownstone Ave. Portland, CT 06480 866-860-0208; brownstonepark.com 130,000 225 Outdoor adventure sports park for all abilities and ages; rock climbing, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, cliff jumping, scuba diving, "Survivor-style" competitions, zip lines, swimming, floats, trails; groups, lessons and rentals Sean Hayes 2009 16 Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort (8) 99 Powder Hill Road Middlefield, CT 06455 860-349-3454; powderridgepark.com 130,000 225 Resort for all ages; skiing, snowboarding, tubing, mountain biking; rental and lodging facilities, cafeteria, lockers, shops; lessons, annual leasing programs, group discounts, school and corporate groups; new restaurant coming soon Sean Hayes 2012 18 Historic Ship Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum 1 Crystal Lake Road Groton, CT 06349 860-694-3174; www.ussnautilus.org 125,639 7 33 U.S. Navy's official submarine museum with tours of the Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine Gretchen Marion Reginald Preston 1964 19 The New Children's Museum 950 Trout Brook Drive West Hartford, CT 06119 860-231-2824; www.thechildrensmuseumct.org 110,000 50 135 Science, nature, and creative learning center; planetarium, wildlife sanctuary, and a wide array of innovative, hands-on exhibits and educational programs Michael Werle 1927 20 The Goodspeed Opera House 6 Main St. East Haddam, CT 06423 860-873-8668; www.goodspeed.org 102,800 250 40 Musicals featuring Broadway's actors, directors and designers with nearby restaurants, shops and galleries; first theatre in the nation to be honored with two Tony awards Michael Gennaro 1963 21 New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT 06052 860-229-0257; www.nbmaa.org 91,154 44 451 300 years of America's artistic output, 16 galleries, exhibitions and installations, traditional to contemporary, age-appropriate studio classes in three new art studios, cafe and shop Min Jung Kim 1903 22 Hartford Stage Co. 50 Church St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-527-5151; www.hartfordstage.org 90,564 80 Tony award-winning theater producing six main-stage productions and "A Christmas Carol" Michael Stotts Darko Tresnjak 1964 23 Discovery Museum and Planetarium (9) 4450 Park Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06604 203-372-3521; www.discoverymuseum.org 85,000 (10) 20 40 Hands-on children's museum, planetarium, simulated space missions; school, homeschool and scout groups, scout badges, demos, children's workshops, summer programs, library and school outreach statewide Stephen H. Baumann 1958 24 Yale Center for British Art (11) 1080 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06520 877-274-8278; www.britishart.yale.edu 83,591 133 69 Largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom Amy Meyers 1966 (founded); 1977 (open to the public) 25 Mark Twain House & Museum 351 Farmington Ave. Hartford, CT 06105 860-247-0998; www.marktwainhouse.org 80,339 70 120 National Historic Landmark Home for 17 years; National Geographic's top 10 historic houses in the world; TIME Magazine called it, "Downton Abbey's American Cousin;" Featured in "1000 Places to See Before You Die." Cindy Lovell 1929 26 Infinity Music Hall & Bistro 32 Front St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-560-7757; www.infinityhall.com 75,000 50 25 200 live concerts yearly, 4-star restaurant for dining before or during the show, happy-hour bar scene, corporate and private events Dan Hincks Meg Fanion 2007 Source: Each attraction via survey, Connecticut Office of Tourism. Notes: N/A = not available or not applicable. Lake Compounce of Bristol declined to participate in the survey. (1) Average annual attendance. (2) 15 full-time and 81 seasonal employees. (3) Data from FY 2014 Form 990. (4) Run by the Bushnell Park Foundation. (5) Bushnell Park Foundation reported 23 employees with no compensation on FY 2013 Form 990. (6) 32 seasonal employees. (7) Data from 2015 survey. (8) Powder Ridge is part of Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park; 2015 attendance and employee figures were reported as one company. (9) Data are from 2015 survey. (10) 2014 attendance figure. (11) Venue re-opened May 11, 2016, after being closed for all of 2015 for an interior building conservation project. Figures are from 2014. —Compiled by Stephanie R. Meagher. 888-MOHEGAN; mohegansun.com 3 Riverfront Recapture 50 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06016 860-713-3131; www.riverfront.org 951,458 96 (2) 1,987 Variety of events and recreational activities Michael Zaleski 1981 4 Mystic Aquarium 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-5955; www.mysticaquarium.org 662,224 250 300 Underwater worlds and creatures including beluga whales, penguins and more; interactive experiences, exhibits and animal adventures Stephen M. Coan 1973 5 Elizabeth Park Conservancy 1561 Asylum Ave. West Hartford, CT 06117 860-231-9443; www.elizabethparkct.org 500,000 5 1,000 Grounds include the oldest municipal rose garden, recreational areas, facilities and more Christine M. Doty Park 1897, Conservancy 1977 6 The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, CT 06854 203-852-0700; www.maritimeaquarium.org 459,829 125 337 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 1988 7 Connecticut Science Center 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06103 860-724-3623; www.ctsciencecenter.org 332,000 143 (3) 44 (3) Science-based museum, educational and tourism venue Matt J. Fleury 2009 8 Bushnell Park (4) P.O. Box 230778 Hartford, CT 06123 860-232-6710; www.bushnellpark.org 300,000 23 (5) Weekly tours of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, and several other monuments in a 38-acre park, including the Corning Fountain, Spirit of Victory and the Horace Wells monument Mary Zeman 1854 9 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo 1875 Noble Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06610 203-394-6565; www.beardsleyzoo.org 280,000 40 (6) 120 300 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 1922 10 Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-0711; www.mysticseaport.org 258,829 350 600 Maritime museum featuring historic tall ships, a working preservation shipyard, a re-created seafaring village, exhibits and more Stephen C. White 1929 11 Yale University Art Gallery 1111 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06510 203-432-0600; artgallery.yale.edu 221,000 132 (7) 32 (7) Oldest college art museum in America, and the third oldest in the world; holds more than 200,000 objects Jock Reynolds 1832 12 Quassy Amusement & Waterpark 2132 Middlebury Road Middlebury, CT 06762 203-758-2913; www.quassy.com 220,000 N/A Family amusement and waterpark on Lake Quassapaug with more than two-dozen rides and attractions George Frantzis II 1908 13 Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre 95 S. Turnpike Road Wallingford, CT 06492 203-269-8721; specialevents.livenation.com 176,649 35 Year-round concert venue and event space for graduations, weddings, parties, proms, galas, meetings and more Natalie Krohn 1954 14 Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (Valley Railroad Co.) 1 Railroad Ave. Essex, CT 06426 860-767-0103; www.essexsteamtrain.com 170,000 200 Narrated steam-train and riverboat excursion, weekend Essex Clipper Dinner Train, seasonal excursions, sunset cruise, fall foliage and Christmas trains such as North Pole Express and Santa Special Kevin Dodd 1971 15 Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511 203-432-5050; www.peabody.yale.edu 145,000 77 337 Jurassic-age dinosaur skeletons from the Peabody's paleontology collections, Rudolph Zallinger's mural "The Age of Reptiles"; exhibits on ancient Egypt, early man, CT geology, CT birds, minerals and meteorites David Skelly 1866 16 Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park (8) 161 Brownstone Ave. Portland, CT 06480 866-860-0208; brownstonepark.com 130,000 225 Outdoor adventure sports park for all abilities and ages; rock climbing, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, cliff jumping, scuba diving, "Survivor-style" competitions, zip lines, swimming, floats, trails; groups, lessons and rentals Sean Hayes 2009 16 Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort (8) 99 Powder Hill Road Middlefield, CT 06455 860-349-3454; powderridgepark.com 130,000 225 Resort for all ages; skiing, snowboarding, tubing, mountain biking; rental and lodging facilities, cafeteria, lockers, shops; lessons, annual leasing programs, group discounts, school and corporate groups; new restaurant coming soon Sean Hayes 2012 18 Historic Ship Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum 1 Crystal Lake Road Groton, CT 06349 860-694-3174; www.ussnautilus.org 125,639 7 33 U.S. Navy's official submarine museum with tours of the Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine Gretchen Marion Reginald Preston 1964 19 The New Children's Museum 950 Trout Brook Drive West Hartford, CT 06119 860-231-2824; www.thechildrensmuseumct.org 110,000 50 135 Science, nature, and creative learning center; planetarium, wildlife sanctuary, and a wide array of innovative, hands-on exhibits and educational programs Michael Werle 1927 20 The Goodspeed Opera House 6 Main St. East Haddam, CT 06423 860-873-8668; www.goodspeed.org 102,800 250 40 Musicals featuring Broadway's actors, directors and designers with nearby restaurants, shops and galleries; first theatre in the nation to be honored with two Tony awards Michael Gennaro 1963 21 New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT 06052 860-229-0257; www.nbmaa.org 91,154 44 451 300 years of America's artistic output, 16 galleries, exhibitions and installations, traditional to contemporary, age-appropriate studio classes in three new art studios, cafe and shop Min Jung Kim 1903 22 Hartford Stage Co. 50 Church St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-527-5151; www.hartfordstage.org 90,564 80 Tony award-winning theater producing six main-stage productions and "A Christmas Carol" Michael Stotts Darko Tresnjak 1964 23 Discovery Museum and Planetarium (9) 4450 Park Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06604 203-372-3521; www.discoverymuseum.org 85,000 (10) 20 40 Hands-on children's museum, planetarium, simulated space missions; school, homeschool and scout groups, scout badges, demos, children's workshops, summer programs, library and school outreach statewide Stephen H. Baumann 1958 24 Yale Center for British Art (11) 1080 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06520 877-274-8278; www.britishart.yale.edu 83,591 133 69 Largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom Amy Meyers 1966 (founded); 1977 (open to the public) 25 Mark Twain House & Museum 351 Farmington Ave. Hartford, CT 06105 860-247-0998; www.marktwainhouse.org 80,339 70 120 National Historic Landmark Home for 17 years; National Geographic's top 10 historic houses in the world; TIME Magazine called it, "Downton Abbey's American Cousin;" Featured in "1000 Places to See Before You Die." Cindy Lovell 1929 26 Infinity Music Hall & Bistro 32 Front St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-560-7757; www.infinityhall.com 75,000 50 25 200 live concerts yearly, 4-star restaurant for dining before or during the show, happy-hour bar scene, corporate and private events Dan Hincks Meg Fanion 2007 Source: Each attraction via survey, Connecticut Office of Tourism. Notes: N/A = not available or not applicable. Lake Compounce of Bristol declined to participate in the survey. (1) Average annual attendance. (2) 15 full-time and 81 seasonal employees. (3) Data from FY 2014 Form 990. (4) Run by the Bushnell Park Foundation. (5) Bushnell Park Foundation reported 23 employees with no compensation on FY 2013 Form 990. (6) 32 seasonal employees. (7) Data from 2015 survey. (8) Powder Ridge is part of Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park; 2015 attendance and employee figures were reported as one company. (9) Data are from 2015 survey. (10) 2014 attendance figure. (11) Venue re-opened May 11, 2016, after being closed for all of 2015 for an interior building conservation project. Figures are from 2014. —Compiled by Stephanie R. Meagher. 3 50 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06016 860-713-3131; www.riverfront.org 951,458 96 (2) 1,987 Variety of events and recreational activities Michael Zaleski 1981 4 Mystic Aquarium 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-5955; www.mysticaquarium.org 662,224 250 300 Underwater worlds and creatures including beluga whales, penguins and more; interactive experiences, exhibits and animal adventures Stephen M. Coan 1973 5 Elizabeth Park Conservancy 1561 Asylum Ave. West Hartford, CT 06117 860-231-9443; www.elizabethparkct.org 500,000 5 1,000 Grounds include the oldest municipal rose garden, recreational areas, facilities and more Christine M. Doty Park 1897, Conservancy 1977 6 The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, CT 06854 203-852-0700; www.maritimeaquarium.org 459,829 125 337 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 1988 7 Connecticut Science Center 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT 06103 860-724-3623; www.ctsciencecenter.org 332,000 143 (3) 44 (3) Science-based museum, educational and tourism venue Matt J. Fleury 2009 8 Bushnell Park (4) P.O. Box 230778 Hartford, CT 06123 860-232-6710; www.bushnellpark.org 300,000 23 (5) Weekly tours of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, and several other monuments in a 38-acre park, including the Corning Fountain, Spirit of Victory and the Horace Wells monument Mary Zeman 1854 9 Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo 1875 Noble Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06610 203-394-6565; www.beardsleyzoo.org 280,000 40 (6) 120 300 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 1922 10 Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355 860-572-0711; www.mysticseaport.org 258,829 350 600 Maritime museum featuring historic tall ships, a working preservation shipyard, a re-created seafaring village, exhibits and more Stephen C. White 1929 11 Yale University Art Gallery 1111 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06510 203-432-0600; artgallery.yale.edu 221,000 132 (7) 32 (7) Oldest college art museum in America, and the third oldest in the world; holds more than 200,000 objects Jock Reynolds 1832 12 Quassy Amusement & Waterpark 2132 Middlebury Road Middlebury, CT 06762 203-758-2913; www.quassy.com 220,000 N/A Family amusement and waterpark on Lake Quassapaug with more than two-dozen rides and attractions George Frantzis II 1908 13 Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre 95 S. Turnpike Road Wallingford, CT 06492 203-269-8721; specialevents.livenation.com 176,649 35 Year-round concert venue and event space for graduations, weddings, parties, proms, galas, meetings and more Natalie Krohn 1954 14 Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (Valley Railroad Co.) 1 Railroad Ave. Essex, CT 06426 860-767-0103; www.essexsteamtrain.com 170,000 200 Narrated steam-train and riverboat excursion, weekend Essex Clipper Dinner Train, seasonal excursions, sunset cruise, fall foliage and Christmas trains such as North Pole Express and Santa Special Kevin Dodd 1971 15 Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511 203-432-5050; www.peabody.yale.edu 145,000 77 337 Jurassic-age dinosaur skeletons from the Peabody's paleontology collections, Rudolph Zallinger's mural "The Age of Reptiles"; exhibits on ancient Egypt, early man, CT geology, CT birds, minerals and meteorites David Skelly 1866 16 Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park (8) 161 Brownstone Ave. Portland, CT 06480 866-860-0208; brownstonepark.com 130,000 225 Outdoor adventure sports park for all abilities and ages; rock climbing, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, cliff jumping, scuba diving, "Survivor-style" competitions, zip lines, swimming, floats, trails; groups, lessons and rentals Sean Hayes 2009 16 Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort (8) 99 Powder Hill Road Middlefield, CT 06455 860-349-3454; powderridgepark.com 130,000 225 Resort for all ages; skiing, snowboarding, tubing, mountain biking; rental and lodging facilities, cafeteria, lockers, shops; lessons, annual leasing programs, group discounts, school and corporate groups; new restaurant coming soon Sean Hayes 2012 18 Historic Ship Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum 1 Crystal Lake Road Groton, CT 06349 860-694-3174; www.ussnautilus.org 125,639 7 33 U.S. Navy's official submarine museum with tours of the Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine Gretchen Marion Reginald Preston 1964 19 The New Children's Museum 950 Trout Brook Drive West Hartford, CT 06119 860-231-2824; www.thechildrensmuseumct.org 110,000 50 135 Science, nature, and creative learning center; planetarium, wildlife sanctuary, and a wide array of innovative, hands-on exhibits and educational programs Michael Werle 1927 20 The Goodspeed Opera House 6 Main St. East Haddam, CT 06423 860-873-8668; www.goodspeed.org 102,800 250 40 Musicals featuring Broadway's actors, directors and designers with nearby restaurants, shops and galleries; first theatre in the nation to be honored with two Tony awards Michael Gennaro 1963 21 New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT 06052 860-229-0257; www.nbmaa.org 91,154 44 451 300 years of America's artistic output, 16 galleries, exhibitions and installations, traditional to contemporary, age-appropriate studio classes in three new art studios, cafe and shop Min Jung Kim 1903 22 Hartford Stage Co. 50 Church St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-527-5151; www.hartfordstage.org 90,564 80 Tony award-winning theater producing six main-stage productions and "A Christmas Carol" Michael Stotts Darko Tresnjak 1964 23 Discovery Museum and Planetarium (9) 4450 Park Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06604 203-372-3521; www.discoverymuseum.org 85,000 (10) 20 40 Hands-on children's museum, planetarium, simulated space missions; school, homeschool and scout groups, scout badges, demos, children's workshops, summer programs, library and school outreach statewide Stephen H. Baumann 1958 24 Yale Center for British Art (11) 1080 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06520 877-274-8278; www.britishart.yale.edu 83,591 133 69 Largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom Amy Meyers 1966 (founded); 1977 (open to the public) 25 Mark Twain House & Museum 351 Farmington Ave. Hartford, CT 06105 860-247-0998; www.marktwainhouse.org 80,339 70 120 National Historic Landmark Home for 17 years; National Geographic's top 10 historic houses in the world; TIME Magazine called it, "Downton Abbey's American Cousin;" Featured in "1000 Places to See Before You Die." Cindy Lovell 1929 26 Infinity Music Hall & Bistro 32 Front St. Hartford, CT 06103 860-560-7757; www.infinityhall.com 75,000 50 25 200 live concerts yearly, 4-star restaurant for dining before or during the show, happy-hour bar scene, corporate and private events Dan Hincks Meg Fanion 2007 Source: Each attraction via survey, Connecticut Office of Tourism. Notes: N/A = not available or not applicable. Lake Compounce of Bristol declined to participate in the survey. (1) Average annual attendance. (2) 15 full-time and 81 seasonal employees. (3) Data from FY 2014 Form 990. (4) Run by the Bushnell Park Foundation. (5) Bushnell Park Foundation reported 23 employees with no compensation on FY 2013 Form 990. (6) 32 seasonal employees. (7) Data from 2015 survey. (8) Powder Ridge is part of Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park; 2015 attendance and employee figures were reported as one company. (9) Data are from 2015 survey. (10) 2014 attendance figure. (11) Venue re-opened May 11, 2016, after being closed for all of 2015 for an interior building conservation project. Figures are from 2014. —Compiled by Stephanie R. Meagher. he could not say exactly how many nonprofits and businesses do so. "It used to be, years ago, people would 'windshield travel' — see pretty things, and look out the window, and say, 'Isn't that nice,' but now they want to experi- ence [places they visit]," Fiveash observed. "They want to experience art, attractions, the beaches, not only just look at it but be a part of whatever it is." Stephen F. Hard, chairman of the central tourism district, said the increase in partnering is no surprise because of limited resources. He is also executive direc- tor of the Greater New Britain Arts Alliance. Central Regional Tourism District Executive Direc- tor Anne Orsini added that customers and patrons wel- come the effort. "It's something we are regularly doing, finding those partnerships within the different attractions we represent," she said. "It makes it very easy for the potential visitor to say, 'Oh, wow, everything's done for me,' because it can be intimidating, if you are not familiar with the area." At the Mark Twain House, Executive Director Cindy Lovell says her organization, which has a history of team- ing up with others, is working with the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat to host an evening riverboat tour with whis- key and cigars on its "Becky Thatcher" riverboat. Becky Thatcher is a character from "Tom Sawyer." Like other organizations, Lovell said, the Mark Twain House wants people to stay longer in the area when they come, not just come to Hartford and leave. "With a boat named Becky Thatcher, we should have been 'on' this years ago," Lovell said. "It's just such an obvious connection." n uses digital computer intelligence to identify key patterns even faster. Q: How much of the market is mobile nowadays? In effect, are people hitting their desti- nations and then planning on apps? Or, is there more plan- ning done on home computers before hitting the road? A: Yes and yes. There is more research occurring everywhere — be it searching for deals, read- ing travel reviews or searching for calendars of events; people are going online to research before, during and even after their trips. According to John Thomas of Media Storm, more searches now originate on mobile devices than on desktop computers. In my experience, this is because mobile is now eating into search- es conducted at home, which used to be conducted by desktop or laptop and are also used in the destination after arriving. And, according to the Fuel Hotel Marketing Insights Report, 31 per- cent of hotel prospects have used at least one mobile app when planning travel in the past year. n Cultural Tourism Q&A: Henry

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