CL&P turns out the lights on Mystic hotel, zombie film

Mystic — For the second time this year, Connecticut Light & Power Co. has shut off power to the Ramada Inn on Route 27 because of a large unpaid bill and bounced checks.

This time, though, the shutdown of power has affected 25 crew members and actors filming a zombie move in the region. They were not only staying at the hotel but filming a scene inside a portion of the hotel that had been staged to look like a casino.

Loading up equipment outside the hotel around 6 p.m. this evening, producer Andrew Gernhard said he had no warning from the hotel management or owners that the power was going to be shut off this afternoon.

He said Synthetic Cinema's Chiller network movie "Remains" still has several more days of filming at the hotel and he will now have to find another location.

Gernhard said the crew and actors who were staying at the hotel were given the day off and likely will relocate to a Norwich area hotel for the remainder of the filming. Much of the movie is being filmed in Norwich.

In addition, The Savin Rock Roasting Co. restaurant was set to open in the hotel on Friday, according to Stonington First Selectman Ed Haberek who said the restaurant owner was in Town Hall Thursday securing his final approvals. Haberek said the restaurant owner, who has spent a large amount of money renovating the space, then had to scramble to remove the food he had inside after the power was cut.