Officials at the Connecticut Lottery Corp. and the Capital Region Development Authority say the under-performance of the restaurant and sports wagering operation can be blamed on the relative newness of the facility, which is currently less of a destination for gamblers than it is for people attending concerts and sporting events that might fill the restaurant and betting parlor on game nights, but do not swarm the place on others. The financial losses come at a time of difficulties for the Wallingford-based lottery’s downtown Hartford operation, as the state Department of Consumer Protection investigates lingering problems in the Connecticut Lottery Corporation’s new retail sales system, including technical malfunctions with a Las Vegas-based contractor for online gambling. Michael Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority, said Friday that he also expects a steady turnaround of the operation, as plans for the aging downtown landmark include as much as a $100-million renovation, with $20 million committed by new facility management at the Oak View Group, if the State Bond Commission, led by Gov. Ned Lamont, allocates about $80 million.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/politics/article/sportsbook-hartford-s-xl-center-under-performing-18628057.php