Hartford Business Journal

June 13, 2016

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G R E AT E R H A R T F O R D ' S B U S I N E S S N E W S w w w. H a r t f o rd B u s i n e s s . c o m For more B2B news visit JUNE 13, 2016 Volume 24, Number 28 $3.00 Subscribe online SAVE THE DATE! 'BLACK TIE & BLUE JEANS' ANNIVERSARY EVENT WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14, 2016 CT CONVENTION CENTER | HARTFORD Cool things just stand the test of time. Join us in celebrating 20 years of young entrepreneurs. 20th ANNIVERSARY 19 9 7-2 0 16 Index ■ Week in Review: PG. 6 ■ Focus: PG. 8 ■ The List: PG. 10 ■ Deal Watch: PG. 13 ■ Nonprofit Notebook: PG. 18 ■ Movers & Shakers: PG. 20 ■ Opinion & Commentary: PG. 24 FOCUS: REAL ESTATE/ ARCHITECTURE High-End Amenities Find out what amenities higher-end homebuyers in the Greater Hartford area are seeking as they shop for some of the region's most desired addresses. PG. 8 Lasting Impact A New Britain cafe that opened about a year ago pays homage to the late Hartford boxing legend Willie Pep. PG. 3 Advocates aim to broaden benefit corp. law By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com A little more than 1½ years after Con- necticut's benefit corporation law took effect, the state has 67 compa- nies dedicated to both making a profit and providing a public benefit, or social good, according to state data. That's a positive start, the law's advocates say, but there's also room for growth and efforts are underway to broaden the types of companies that could apply for a benefit status. "We're right on track with where I think we should be," said James Woulfe, director of advocacy and external affairs at Hart- ford-based reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, which works to advance the social- enterprise sector and helped get the benefit corporation legislation passed. "To see us Hotel's owners sue city, claiming unfair tax burden By Gregory Seay gseay@HartfordBusiness.com T he owner of the high-rise Radisson Hotel overlooking downtown Hartford's stalled ballpark is suing the city, claim- ing it didn't get the property-tax exemptions the city has granted its nearby competitors. 50 Morgan Hospitality Group LLC, owners of the 18-story, 350-room hotel at 50 Morgan St., filed suit May 23 in Hartford federal court, citing breach of its constitutional right to equal protection, according to court records and the plaintiff's attorney. In bringing its latest legal action against the city, the Radisson's owner has laid bare an allegedly loose tax-forbearance arrange- ment between the city and a handful of down- town commercial landlords. Moreover, other owners of downtown Hartford hotels say they are closely watching the outcome not only of the Radisson lawsuit but their own pending tax-abatement appli- cations with the city. At least one rival hotel owner says he, too, will consider suing the city if he doesn't receive the tax-relief he's seeking. Owners of the downtown Radisson Hotel claim the city unfairly taxes it but not rivals. Continued on page 16 Continued on page 14 SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS Megan Eza (sitting bottom) and Melinda Testori (sitting top) started BNE Publishing Inc. in Coventry, one of the state's 67 benefit corporations. The company promotes local artists. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D H B J P H O T O | J O H N S T E A R N S

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