Sports betting may arrive at Hartford’s XL Center by early next year at an interim location within the downtown arena, following relatively soon after a sweeping expansion of legalized sports betting in Connecticut goes live on Oct. 7.
Michael W. Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority, the quasi-public agency that oversees the XL Center, said Friday the precise location for an interim “sportsbook” in the arena has not yet been determined, but would help test out the demand for betting at the XL.
The interim location would have a lot of the components of a permanent location, including a bank of television screens, boards displaying betting odds, wagering windows and kiosks, plus food and beverage, Freimuth said. It also is possible that gambling kiosks could be placed in suites and around the arena’s concourse, he said.
Freimuth said the advantage of establishing an interim location will help determine the ebb and flow of traffic, what may need to be added and the operation’s financial return.
“We need to learn that before we jump into the deep water,” Freimuth said. “But the benefit of that is — not just getting smart on the learning curve — we get it going quick, which is what everyone wants.”
Freimuth said there were no cost estimates for the project, and he declined to speculate about them.
The Connecticut Lottery Corp. said Friday it is still looking at the XL Center as an initiative for 2022. An agreement still must be signed with the lottery and its vendor, which will run the gambling side of the XL sportsbook.
How quickly a permanent site in the arena would open isn’t yet clear, but Freimuth said one possible location is the lower level exhibition hall.
However, Freimuth said he would prefer a location along Trumbull Street, near the main entrance to the arena.
This space would give the sportsbook visibility, but that part of the building, anchored by the atrium, isn’t controlled by the CRDA. The CRDA has tried unsuccessfully for years to purchase the so-called “Trumbull Block” from owner Northland Investment Corp, of Newton, Mass., the developer of the surrounding Hartford 21 complex.
The lottery has said it is possible that the sports betting venue at the XL Center eventually could become part of a larger venue. In addition to dining and bars, gambling could be combined with other entertainment options, possibly including eSports, electronic gaming where participants compete against one another.
The sports betting venue also has the potential for boosting the long-debated renovation of the aging arena.
Connecticut lawmakers approved a sweeping expansion this year of state legalized gambling laws after a debate that spanned years. In addition to creating sports betting venues in 15 locations, with two larger ones in Hartford and Bridgeport, the law allows the lottery to run online gambling and the state’s tribal casinos to operate sports betting and online gambling.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com
