NBC Sports Group to Consolidate Northeastern Ops in Stamford, CT

The NBC Sports Group will be the fourth company to take advantage of the “First Five” economic development program in Connecticut as it consolidates much of its northeast operations, including its existing Connecticut workforce, at new studios and offices in the former Clairol factory in Stamford, CT. The project, slated to start in September 2012, will create 450 jobs and allow room for the company to grow in the future.

“This is a terrific project for the city and state, and one that I am proud to support as the fourth ‘First Five.'” says Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy. “The companies that are participating in this economic development program are job producers, and NBCUniversal has been doing that since it first arrived in Connecticut.

Stamford has been home to NBCUniversal television production since 2008 when it retrofitted the Rich Forum Theatre in downtown to create the Stamford Media Center.

The 32-acre site will house office space for NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBC Sports Digital, VERSUS (to be renamed the NBC Sports Network on January 2), and the Comcast Sports Management Group, which oversees the NBC Sports Group’s 14 regional networks. The NBC Sports Group will also use the site to construct numerous state-of-the-art studios to house the company’s growing need for studio content.

“This new campus is about bringing people together to maximize production, creativity and efficient teamwork. We are creating one 32-acre unique location that allows us to build numerous state-of-the-art studios, house more than 450 employees, and prepare for anticipated future growth,” adds Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “However, this initiative would not have been possible without the financial support of Governor Malloy’s ‘First Five’ program and the local support provided by Mayor Pavia, who we look forward to working with for many years to come.”

Also, as part of its 10-year partnership with the NHL, the NBC Sports Group will build a state-of-the-art studio for NHL Network that will house most of the network’s personnel and will create additional jobs in Connecticut that are not included in the 450.

“This collaboration with the NBC Sports Group, including the construction of our new NHL Network studio in Stamford, will give our fans unprecedented year-round access to the game,” says NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “NBC has been a great partner and has played a significant role in our strong growth over the past five years. We look forward to building on our relationship.”

In support of the NBC Sports Group’s capital investment and the commitment to retain and create full-time jobs in Connecticut, the state will provide a $20 million loan through the Department of Economic and Community Development, which administers “First Five.”

The “First Five” program is designed to attract large-scale business development projects by augmenting and combining the state’s best incentive and tax credit programs for the first five companies that create 200 new jobs within two years, or invest $25 million and create 200 new jobs within five years.

The first three companies to take part in the “First Five” program — CIGNA, TicketNetwork, and ESPN — were announced over the summer.