The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) will host its second annual Hospitality Industry Night on Thursday, October 6. The networking event will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The First Tee of Connecticut at 55 Golf Club Rd. in Cromwell. Registration is now open for this event that will be held rain or shine.

At this year's event, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau's Thomas J. Shortell Award will be presented to Howie Dickenman, who recently retired from Central Connecticut State University as the Men's Basketball Head Coach.

"Our Thomas J. Shortell Award is given to a Connecticut resident who has had a long-term successful sports career," explains Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau President H. Scott Phelps. "Howie Dickenman has spent 40 years as one of our state's greatest basketball coaches. He began his coaching career at New Britain High School, later worked at the University of Connecticut for many years, and spent the past two decades at the Central Connecticut State University where he retired as Head Coach at the end of last season. We are extremely pleased to honor this Connecticut native during our 2016 Hospitality Industry Night."

At the October 6 event, guests can enter driving and putting contests for prizes, taste craft brews from Back East Brewing Company, and enjoy light refreshments. Enhancing the evening will be a wide variety of terrific auction items, including tickets to a 2017 Yankees vs. Red Sox baseball game with round trip car service to Yankee Stadium, and gift certificates for hotel stays, dining and entertainment in Connecticut and beyond.

Admission for CTCSB members is $35, and non-members pay $40. A $100 Company 4-Pack includes admission for four (4) people.

TO REGISTER for the October 6 event, go to Eventbrite.com and Browse Events for CTCSB Hospitality Industry Night, or contact CTCSB Director of Business Development Susan Henrique at 860-882-1101 or SusanH@ctcsb.org, or Click Here.

Working in partnership with the state's businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and their surrounding communities, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) markets all of the state - convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues - as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. In the last fiscal year alone, CTCSB business resulted in more than $61.6 million spent by convention, meeting and sports events attendees during their visits to the state, generating more than $4.7 million in Connecticut taxes. In addition, over 22,500 Connecticut jobs in the hospitality industry were supported by these events as a result of these bookings.*

The CTCSB is a public-private partnership that is funded by dues from members and by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and Connecticut Office of Tourism. The Connecticut Sports Advisory Board, a division of the CTCSB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. For more information about the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, visit www.CTmeetings.org or call 860-728-6789.