Bristol sports broadcaster ESPN is adding 270 jobs in Connecticut for its 3-D productions, new college network and many other ventures in 2011.
Spurred by a visit from Gov. Dannel Malloy on Tuesday, ESPN announced it planned to increase its Connecticut workforce by 5.1 percent this year to 4,100 employees.
That increase includes a previously announced 125 jobs moving to Bristol from New York City as the company shifts its ESPN The Magazine work to Connecticut. On Tuesday, ESPN announced those jobs will join the Connecticut workforce officially in June, although the company made the initial announcement eight months ago.
Another 75 jobs are coming in addition to the magazine jobs in across-the-board increases for various ESPN products, said Mike Soltys, ESPN vice president of communications. Those products include a University of Texas network, which will be based in Austin but will call for staff in Bristol. The 75 also includes added responsibilities from the company’s 3-D launch.
ESPN is adding a day care to its Bristol campus, run by national child care provider Bright Horizons. That day care center will employ 70 people. Although the employees will work for Bright Horizons, the day care will cater exclusively to ESPN staff.
In addition to the new jobs, ESPN is overhauling some of its facilities. Those improvements include a renovation to its 383 Middle St. facility to offer more employee amenities, and a redesign of the Ronzo Road entrance to enhance security. All of the construction work will be outsourced to construction companies.
“There’s no shortage of construction activity going on here,” Soltys said.
