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CT Convention Center @ Adriaen's Landing


beerbeer

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If Hartford were the size of Charlotte, it would have virtually the same population. And Charlotte (with the exception of pro sports) is a cultural void.

Does Hartford get as many convention business as Charlotte? If Hartford does not, then either the marketing folks for Hartford convention center are completely incompetent fools or Charlotte for all their lacking in culture, sophistication, history, you name it, are more attractive to convention goers than Hartford.

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I grew up in Cromwell and now live in Charlotte. Hartford and Charlotte have a lot more in common than one might think, but I completely agree that if Hartford were the same geographic size as Charlotte it would be the same size as Charlotte and I would argue Hartford may actually be larger. Charlotte has terrible urban planning (I think) but stuff is actually getting done here as opposed to Hartford where absolutely nothing seems to get done (with the exception of the Convention Center). Pro sports is a huge difference and the banks employ a lot more employees and put a lot more money into downtown than do the insurance companies in Hartford.

I recently saw a demographia report which showed Hartford with 60,000+ cbd employees vs. 50,000 for Charlotte. Perhaps that's changed since the data for the report was collected but considering that Hartford's economy is still largely devoted to insurance, I doubt Charlotte has much more corporate presence downtown (especially in one industry) than Hartford does.

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I grew up in Cromwell and now live in Charlotte. Hartford and Charlotte have a lot more in common than one might think, but I completely agree that if Hartford were the same geographic size as Charlotte it would be the same size as Charlotte and I would argue Hartford may actually be larger. Charlotte has terrible urban planning (I think) but stuff is actually getting done here as opposed to Hartford where absolutely nothing seems to get done (with the exception of the Convention Center). Pro sports is a huge difference and the banks employ a lot more employees and put a lot more money into downtown than do the insurance companies in Hartford.

Charlotte is a larger city than Hartford, and it is currently growing quite fast both in area, and population and prominence. Hartford is just slowly creeping forward. Sports I will agree Hartford is well behind on as we have no professional sports, but part of that problem is because of territorial issues within sports leagues. Hartford could support the NFL easily, but New England has a huge area, and any new team would need Krafts aproval. never gonna happen. The same applies for MLS soccer. Investors looked into it and were stonewalled by Kraft as he wons the Revs, and the Hartford area. I dont think Hartford could support Baseball, so Basketball and Hockey are our only hopes. I think the city could support either or both, but there are more important things for the city to focus on first. 5-10 years will see some pro sports back in Hartford, and in the mean time UCONN football will satisfy the local need for gridiron as the program grows into a regional power.

as far as Wachovia and BOA employing more people downtown than the insurance companies, I find that hard to beleive. Those are both big banks, true, and they together built Charlotte into what it is today, but Hartford has so many Insurance companies, and each of them are large.

It is my opinion that Charlotte is a much more attractive convention site, but thats because I think weather plays a large role. If I go on a convention in April I'd like to be able to golf or something in my down time. Hartford has winter as we all know right now (12 inches of snow yesterday). Also Charlotte gets a great deal of good press and Hartford gets a great deal of un earned bad press.

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It is my opinion that Charlotte is a much more attractive convention site, but thats because I think weather plays a large role. If I go on a convention in April I'd like to be able to golf or something in my down time. Hartford has winter as we all know right now (12 inches of snow yesterday). Also Charlotte gets a great deal of good press and Hartford gets a great deal of un earned bad press.

That being said, Hartford is the closest convention space to the world's two largest casinos; that alone makes it an attractive location.

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I recently saw a demographia report which showed Hartford with 60,000+ cbd employees vs. 50,000 for Charlotte. Perhaps that's changed since the data for the report was collected but considering that Hartford's economy is still largely devoted to insurance, I doubt Charlotte has much more corporate presence downtown (especially in one industry) than Hartford does.

Charlotte has 65,000 CBD workers, and will go up quite a bit after BOA and Wachovia complete their new skyscrapers. The CBD also has about 12,000 people living within it and that figure will rise also in the next two years after construction.

I also think Charlotte as a Convention city has more to offer to just the weather. The downtown is very attractive and walkable. And it does has "culture" and history and a measure of sophistication, just not on the scale of some of it's peer cities. Plus, there is a strong African-American culture here which I think people don't tend to consider as such. Hartford is not a bad place either. I quite like it.

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I recently saw a demographia report which showed Hartford with 60,000+ cbd employees vs. 50,000 for Charlotte. Perhaps that's changed since the data for the report was collected but considering that Hartford's economy is still largely devoted to insurance, I doubt Charlotte has much more corporate presence downtown (especially in one industry) than Hartford does.

Charlotte has 65,000 CBD workers, and will go up quite a bit after BOA and Wachovia complete their new skyscrapers. The CBD also has about 12,000 people living within it and that figure will rise also in the next two years after construction.

I also think Charlotte as a Convention city has more to offer to just the weather. The downtown is very attractive and walkable. And it does has "culture" and history and a measure of sophistication, just not on the scale of some of it's peer cities. Plus, there is a strong African-American culture here which I think people don't tend to consider as such. Hartford is not a bad place either. I quite like it.

The problem with Hartford is that at one point it had 100k+ cbd workers. While Charlotte is adding to its downtown foot count, Hartford is losing its. Just because their numbers intercept at this point does not make them comparable.

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  • 5 weeks later...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-conve...0,6364102.story

Boat and car shows are growing, average convention attendance is on the rise, and more people have stayed in Hartford area hotels during the first 30 months of operation at the Connecticut Convention Center.

My in-laws are there right now at the RV show.

I know you can take the worst away from this article regarding the subsidy, but to be honest a subsidy is expected for a few years.

The hotel usage is exceptional. I hope this creates the demand to expand that mariott and add another downtown hotel. then lets see what kind of conventions Hartford could get?

The fact that the pilot convention is likely returning in 2011 and that this single convention created over 10 million in economic impact says that any subsidy is well worth it.

CHEERS!

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

"When it opened in 2005, the attendance projections were for up to 200,000 per year while annual attendance has consistently topped 250,000."

"The center was responsible for 32,000 hotel room nights in the first year and 43,000 in the second. The annual room nights in Hartford-area hotels has jumped from 75,300 during the center

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Yep, looks like big problems alright. Doomsday.

The problem is that Hartford proper is doing a relatively poor job of capturing shopping and hotel dollars; thus the success of the convention center isn't creating as much downtown vibrancy as it could and should. Fortunately it's not going anywhere, so there's time to figure it out.

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The problem is that Hartford proper is doing a relatively poor job of capturing shopping and hotel dollars; thus the success of the convention center isn't creating as much downtown vibrancy as it could and should. Fortunately it's not going anywhere, so there's time to figure it out.

As a downtown worker I swear 2 weeks did not go by that I don't have to give a conventioneer directions(untill my parking assignment changed). I know not where they sleep at night but they seem to walk the same path I did Church street garage to Old State House.

Yes Hartford proper has not done a great job of capturing shopping, the cities tax records show increased retail sales within the city limits. year over year. Downtown is quite empty, but it is gradual, and the more housing conversions the better downtown. it will turn eventually.

remember that every downtown office conversion into residential means that vacant office space comes off the market. this drives down out vacancy rate making downtown look more attractive to developers and companies. it also drives up the # of residents making downtown more attractive to other residents, visitors and eventually retailers.

slow and steady Hartford is marching towards success.

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The problem is that Hartford proper is doing a relatively poor job of capturing shopping and hotel dollars; thus the success of the convention center isn't creating as much downtown vibrancy as it could and should. Fortunately it's not going anywhere, so there's time to figure it out.

well yea, front street is the problem.

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Where are they usually going?

Usually convention center, but I would say 25% asked for places to eat. 5% Library and then places like the old state house or Twains house. Every time I explained Twains house I got sad faces.

mind you I apparently am very aproachable, and when people look lost sometimes I offer to help. Especially if it was older people

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  • 9 months later...

So There is finally a settlement between Union boss Eddie Perez and the Mariott.

if you remember he sued the Waterford group a couple years ago about livable wages and sparked a union protest etc when the place opened.

apparently a couplre weeks ago the city settled and agreed with the developer. so the end effect was the city made a stink and likely scared away other developers and still never got what it wanted. damage after damage.

http://www.courant.com/community/news/hfd/...0,7327661.story

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So There is finally a settlement between Union boss Eddie Perez and the Mariott.

if you remember he sued the Waterford group a couple years ago about livable wages and sparked a union protest etc when the place opened.

apparently a couplre weeks ago the city settled and agreed with the developer. so the end effect was the city made a stink and likely scared away other developers and still never got what it wanted. damage after damage.

http://www.courant.com/community/news/hfd/...0,7327661.story

Perez is just so bad for business........ Hopefully the corruption scandal will get his ass booted soon.

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  • 2 years later...

Has to be good for the CCC, no?

CT Expo sold, preparing to close its doors

Posted: Aug 12, 2011 3:48 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 12, 2011 4:08 PM EDT

By WFSB Staff HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - The Connecticut Expo Center has been sold to a buyer and it is preparing to close its doors at the end of September. Mary Coursey, a spokesperson for the center said  "there is a sale pending of the Connecticut Expo Center which will result in the facility's closing next month. While the new owner cannot be announced until after the property transaction closes, the facility will no longer function as an exposition center."  Coursey said the center is working with organizations that have booked events at the  center to find the other venues in Hartford.

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Has to be good for the CCC, no?

CT Expo sold, preparing to close its doors

Posted: Aug 12, 2011 3:48 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 12, 2011 4:08 PM EDT

By WFSB Staff HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - The Connecticut Expo Center has been sold to a buyer and it is preparing to close its doors at the end of September. Mary Coursey, a spokesperson for the center said "there is a sale pending of the Connecticut Expo Center which will result in the facility's closing next month. While the new owner cannot be announced until after the property transaction closes, the facility will no longer function as an exposition center." Coursey said the center is working with organizations that have booked events at the center to find the other venues in Hartford.

You would think so, definitely...directly because some of those booked event will probably go to the CCC, and down the line ones that would have gone there will go to the CCC. I'm very curious as to what the new owners will do with the Expo Center. Hopefully something good.

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You would think so, definitely...directly because some of those booked event will probably go to the CCC, and down the line ones that would have gone there will go to the CCC. I'm very curious as to what the new owners will do with the Expo Center. Hopefully something good.

The city has been trying to sell the land behind and on either side of the expo center for a long while. the total combined acrage is pretty impressive IIRC I sould expect some kind of strip mall or something. If I were to guess, a Walbmart or maybe Costco decided to give up on New Britain.

the reality, is that there would be definate development since no one buys an operational building like this and throws out a paying tenant. they are gonna tear down and develop.

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