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Former mental hospital eyed for entertainment potential

Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2001 | 9:52 a.m.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PRESTON, Conn. -- In southeast Connecticut, a region made famous by casino gambling, a former mental hospital may be headed for new life as an entertainment complex.

To state officials, the former Norwich Hospital is a sprawling behemoth with crumbling Gothic-style buildings in an awkward location and multimillion-dollar cleanup costs. Marketing it as a corporate office park for high-technology industry is nearly impossible.

The property now "looks like that use would include entertainment," said Marc Ryan, head of the state's Office of Policy and Management, which is marketing the site.

Local officials say the state is stalling, perhaps to keep additional casino development out of southeastern Connecticut.

Ryan denies the accusation.

"There is certainly no motivation on our part to drag this out," he said. "It's a very good site for a potential big-market use."

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