Showing posts with label Visit Connecticut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Visit Connecticut. Show all posts

Friday, November 18, 2016

Mohegan Sun Opens Second Hotel in Connecticut

Mohegan Sun Officially Unveils Second Hotel

The 400-Room Earth Tower

Photo Source: Mohegan Sun

The all-new Earth Tower is now open to the public.  
Mohegan Sun’s 400-room, 242,000 square-foot $139 million Earth Tower, celebrated its grand opening this morning, with a special ribbon cutting event. Mohegan Sun President and General Manager, Ray Pineault and Mohegan Tribal Chairman, Kevin Brown “Red Eagle,” kicked the ceremony off by thanking all of the men and women who worked diligently over the last year and a half to design and construct a truly beautiful addition to Mohegan Sun’s property.


Photo Courtesy Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Tribal Chairman, Kevin “Red Eagle” Brown, Mohegan Sun President and GM, Ray Pineault, Mohegan Chief, Lynn Malerba, along with Governor, Dannel Malloy, Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Wyman, Senator, Richard Blumenthal and Congressman, Joe Courtney and many more, all took part in the special ceremony Friday morning to welcome the new expansion.

A second hotel at Mohegan Sun’s flagship destination was something that both the Mohegan Tribal Council and Mohegan Sun Senior Leadership have long anticipated, since putting original plans on hold back in 2008, due the economic downturn. Chairman Brown spoke to those hard decisions as well as the impact that this long awaited second hotel has already had, stating, “for us, this new hotel does represent the ability to have more room nights and stays, right here at the casino and that has already, just in these early days, proven itself out with the demand that has been placed on this new hotel. But it’s also important to the state, because it represents the 2,000 jobs as this went through the construction phase and represents 200 permanent jobs, as we extend our team members, into this facility, and keep it up and running.”


Photo Courtesy Mohegan Sun


To help usher in the new hotel and speak to the importance of the strong relationship between Mohegan Sun and the State of Connecticut, additional special guests included Governor, Malloy, Lt. Governor, Nancy Wyman, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Joe Courtney. U.S. State Senator, Richard Blumenthal, in particular, concluded his remarks by stating, “In Washington, when I talk to colleague’s about what is happening to the Native American tribes in their state, they look, with reverence, and some envy, at what you have done here. It is a great American success story, not just in dollars and cents, not just in spectacular building, or in entertainment and enjoyment that you have brought to countless people, but in the triumph of hope, and vision over obstacles, that would have deterred others.”


Overcoming obstacles certainly was fitting, as over the course of the last couple of years, Mohegan Sun has turned away around 1 million hotel rooms in the iconic, 1,200-room Sky Tower. And with much excitement about the new expansion, and finally being able to provide guests with such a well-executed second hotel, Mohegan Sun President & GM, Ray Pineault, thanked all of the contributions and hard work as well as commenting that, “this new hotel gives us a better opportunity to serve the incredible demand we have witnessed in our twelve hundred room, SkyTower and really allows us to welcome in even more guests in and outside of the state, with many looking to make multi-night visits.” And Mohegan Sun’s President concluded the event with, “what started out in 1996 as a 170,000 square-foot Casino with just a smaller sized free music venue, and a few restaurants and shops, is now one of the largest, most impressive, all-encompassing gaming, entertainment and resort destinations in the world.”


Earth Tower’s design was modeled after the original Sky Tower, with the help of Architect group, Kohn Pederson Fox Associates. Sitting along the Thames River, featuring 400 luxurious rooms, including 39 suites, the new hotel brings about some unique new features for guests. 


The lobby is home to various lounging areas along with Bean and Vine CafĂ© & Wine Bar, where guests can grab breakfast and a coffee in the morning, and relax with friends over a glass of wine or beer in the evening, all with a beautiful view. Located on the ground level, in front of the Tower, the outdoor Earth Tower Terrace will feature gas fire pits and satellite bar & food service, when weather permits. The space can also be utilized for private functions, including wedding receptions, anniversaries and more. 

Each room and suite will also be home to advanced in-room technology, including ultra-fast Wi-Fi, intelligent thermostats, dual-line telephones.

Other amenities in Earth Tower include an all-new spa, fitness center and pool.  All parking is free at Mohegan Sun as well, including hotel valet!

The access to Earth Tower is provided by way of two impressively designed connectors as well, allowing entry from the Winter entrance and from the original hotel lobby.

To learn more, visit Earth Tower!

Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF), out of New York, was the architectural firm of record. KPF was also the master architect for Mohegan Sun’s 1,200-room Sky Tower, which opened in 2002.  A/Z Corporation, with headquarters locally in North Stonington, Connecticut, was the general contractor for the project and has a long history of having completed various projects at Mohegan Sun.


ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN

Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States.  Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to three unique casinos, two hotel towers including the 34-story, 1,200-room luxurious Sky Tower as well as the recently opened, 400-room Earth Tower, a world-class spa and golf course, over 85 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with Mohegan Sun on Facebook,  on Twitter,  on YouTube and find them on Snapchap at username Mohegansun.


Mohegan Sun 

1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard
Uncasville, CT 06382
General Information: 1.888.226.7711
Hotel Reservations: 1.888.777.7922
https://mohegansun.com/

Friday, April 22, 2016

CT Tourism Wants to Help Promote YOUR Connecticut Business

CTVisit.com Unveils All New State Tourism Website



Mobile Friendly and just in time for peak CT Tourism Season


That's right CT businesses! The Connecticut Office of Tourism wants to help travelers find YOU and your attraction through their NEW easy to navigate website.

Travelers can now find information on more than 4,000 places to visit, stay and eat in Connecticut as well as hundreds of inspirational travel stories, vacation deals and event listings all in one place, www.CTvisit.com.


The completely redesigned and rebuilt website, launched in late April 2016 by the Connecticut Office of Tourism, makes it easier for visitors and residents alike to learn more about Connecticut's major attractions as well as its hidden gems (is that YOU?) and to plan their next getaway in just a few clicks.

 Just in time for summer travel, the new site is highly visual, content rich and entirely mobile responsive. Leveraging the latest interactive technologies, it features:




  • Connecticut Attractions: Information on 4,000+ tourism attractions, accommodations and restaurants ­ more than double the number of listings offered on the previous website
  • Connecticut Activities: Intuitive navigation that organizes information based on types of businesses.
  • Activities (Do), 
  • Accommodations (Stay) 
  • Connecticut Getaways: Suggested getaway itineraries and travel stories for visitors looking for Ideas based on the type of experiences they enjoy
  • Event Calendar: A Calendar of events that can be filtered by date range, type of event or region and a special "What to do This Weekend" feature  
  • Sort by Region: Regional site views which provide visitors with an in-depth opportunity to explore the unique offerings in each region of the state 
  • Your Own Page: Individual pages highlighting each destination, which are free to the businesses and allow them to showcase photos, videos, upcoming events, travel deals and can even automatically bring in their social media feeds and TripAdvisor® ratings
  • Destination Tip: The "While You're in the Neighborhood" feature which serves up suggestions and directions for other attractions, hotels and restaurants that are close by the destination you¹re viewing 


Wow! This is big! This is so important for Connecticut to promote and support its own LOCAL businesses!

With nearly a year in the making, this new site was a collaborative effort involving Connecticut's many different kinds of tourism businesses, local associations and other Connecticut state agencies.

Yay for Connecticut!!!

Regional tourism districts also worked closely with the state¹s tourism office to enhance content and aggregate listings so that visitors could enjoy a seamless experience of all Connecticut has to offer.

Read what some of those involved had to say about the process and the new end product!

Connecticut now has a state-of-the-art website to support our $14 billion tourism industry, which supports 80,000 direct jobs. The new site, a key component of our still revolutionary Connecticut marketing efforts, makes it easy for visitors to find and explore our state's rich array of destinations, which will help keep tourism a thriving industry in Connecticut!
-Catherine Smith
Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development



"In our research, we learned that potential visitors, even our own residents, wanted more specific ideas of things to do in Connecticut. So we designed the new CTvisit.com to bring our state¹s dynamic blend of offerings to life using lots of great imagery, engaging content and streamlined navigation,"
-Randy Fiveash
Director, Connecticut Office of Tourism


"The new site gives the tourism regions the best tools we have had in years to market not only destinations and experiences in our own footprints, but also to build interest and exposure for events and attractions a short drive away. The whole state benefits!"   
 -Ed Dombroskas
Executive Director, Eastern Connecticut Regional Tourism District





"This has truly been a team effort involving tourism businesses from all across the state, the Connecticut Office of Tourism, the regional tourism districts, the regional visitors' bureaus and many local organizations. We could not be happier with the process - and the result. Potential visitors to Connecticut now have such a breadth and depth of information and inspiration at their fingertips."
-Andrew Wood
SVP, External Relations, Mystic Aquarium



"It's exciting to see it all come together. This has been a research-driven, inclusive process. Since the first input session last year, we have all been focused on one key objective: to provide potential visitors and our residents with a great online experience ‹ one that inspires them, maybe even surprises them, and ultimately motivates them to explore more of Connecticut."
-Matt Fleury
President and CEO of the Connecticut Science Center

At every key milestone in the process, from identifying what the site should do to evaluating how it should look,  the team reached out for quantitative and qualitative feedback from consumers (both in-state residents and out-of-state travelers) as well as from tourism business partners across the state. This research guided every phase of the site development process.

The site is also built on a Content Management System (CMS) that empowers tourism partners to manage their own free feature page. They can edit their information, post events, add deals, update imagery - making it easier to keep the entire site¹s content fresh.


Learn more about CT Tourism through this video






About The Connecticut Office of Tourism


The Connecticut Office of Tourism, a division of the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), created the Connecticut still revolutionary strategic marketing initiative to build pride among residents and bolster the state¹s reputation as a tourism and business destination. Connecticut offers such a diverse mix of activities and attractions, all in such close proximity to each other, that visitors can enjoy multi-dimensional experiences within a short drive ­ from the exciting and relaxing to the historic and innovative to the culture and nature-focused. For more information, visit www.CTvisit.com and join the Connecticut still revolutionary community on social media on FacebookTwitter, PinterestYouTube and Instagram.






Sunday, November 2, 2014

Harbour House Restaurant in Mystic CT


Last weekend we joined our friends Wendy and Greg from Connecticut Lifestyles to visit the Harbour House Restaurant located at the Inn at Mystic.




We were thrilled to be joining them as their guests, as the Harbour House Restaurant was the winner of the August 2014 Open Table Diners’ Choice Award, which is awarded by patrons who have used Open Table to book reservations. Each month, the Diners’ Choice lists are featured on the Open Table website.

The Harbour House features fresh, seasonal and local cuisine served in one of Mystic’s most spectacular settings, the beautiful and historic Inn at Mystic.

Here's a pictorial of some of the foods we sampled on our visit.

Our starters/appetizers:

A side green salad with house Italian Dressing



Stonington Harbour Bommers
Scallops wrapped in slab smoked bacon
with a pomegranate molasses glaze baked in a brick oven


Our Entrees:

Butternut Squash Ravioli
Butternut squash stuffed raviolis served with a cranberry sage cream sauce
topped with candied pecans



Linguine and Clams
Chopped Fresh Clams tossed with butter, garlic, olive oil, parsley, basil, black pepper
served over linguine



Prime Rib of Beef
Served with mashed potato and vegetable medley



Charcoal Broiled Duck
St.Louis style half duck roasted with honey garlic, fresh thyme, butter and sea salt
Served with mashed potatoes and a medley of fresh vegetables

For dessert, we adjourned to the Harbour House Lounge where we listened to the cool brass stylings of the Mystic Horns, enjoying some rich chocolate desserts, and some dessert/after dinner cocktails.

Dessert and after dinner cocktails in the lounge

Offering a wonderful mix of casually elegant cuisine - mingled with traditional seafood staples, the Harbour House is pure New England cuisine at its finest. From wood-fired pizza from their brick oven, and freshly shucked clams from the raw bar, to gorgonzola-crusted filet of beef finished with a savory malbec demi-glace, there's something for every palate at the Harbour House!

In addition, Harbour House bar features 24 beers on tap along with fun list of signature cocktails.

We are already planning a return visit to spend the night at the Inn at Mystic, enjoy their amazing brunch, and do some shopping in nearby Mystic Village!


For more information on the Harbour House Restaurant, please visit www.innatmystic.com.

The Harbour House Restaurant at the Inn at Mystic

Three Williams Avenue
Mystic, CT 06355

Phone: 860-536-8140

Harbour House reservations using Open Table=> http://www.opentable.com/harbour-house-inn-at-mystic

On the web: www.innatmystic.com

Email: harbourhouse@innatmystic.com

Follow them on twitter: https://twitter.com/HarbourHouseCT


Follow them on instagram: http://instagram.com/harbourhousect


Harbour House Restaurant & Bar on Urbanspoon

Monday, May 27, 2013

Connecticut Open House Day June 8 2013

For info on 2014 CT Open House click HERE

UPDATE:  TO READ MY REVIEW OF THE EVENT CLICK HERE ==> Home Place #CTOpenHouse

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The Connecticut State Tourism Office recently asked me to be part of their "Street Team" and participate in Open House Day on Saturday, June 8th.

The good news?  You can take advantage of this great Open House Day, right along with me!

June 8th is Connecticut Open House Day!

Many of the cities and town museums, cafes, restaurants, parks, art spaces, and loads of places across the great state of Connecticut will be throwing open their doors to welcome all of us inside!

Most are offering deeply discounted admittance - and others are entirely free! 

Click here for a complete listing of participating places: CT Open House June 8th 2013

I'll be attending a few of these places too!

Since I'll be in Fairfield county for another event in the afternoon, I'll be visiting:

Sweet & Simple: offering free samples from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. of the newest product from The Farmer’s Cow, The Farmer’s Cow Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches, featuring cookies baked with love by Sweet & Simple. Also offering complimentary cookies. Sweet and Simple is located at 75 Hillside Rd. Fairfield, CT (203) 292-8992. http://www.sweetandsimple.com 


Meet Michelle, the owner of Sweet & Simple



and I'll also spend time at

Bellarmine Museum of Art:  Free family day activities from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Museum will be open from noon until 5 p.m. The museum is located at Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Rd. Fairfield, CT (203) 254-4046 http://www.fairfield.edu/museum

Here's their calendar for June 2013 or click HERE for current listings.

And there is much more - all across our wonderful state!

Don't forget to mark this on your calendars!  A wonderful way to see some of Connecticut's best places...at reduced rates!

Follow the Connecticut Tourism social media sites for information on all CT attractions! 


Click here for a complete listing of participating places: CT Open House June 8th 2013 

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Disclaimer:  I was offered the opportunity to participate with the CT Tourism Office as a member of the Street Team as part of their "Connecticut...Still Revolutionary" promotion. All opinions expressed are my own.
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