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Boston Globe
15-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Boston needs more tourists. Are Michelin stars the way to get them?
in 1900 by a French tire company to inspire more road trips, is a sign that your city's culinary scene has arrived — worthy of mention in the same breath as restaurants in New York, Paris, and London. Some cities don't need to pay for Michelin to show up; others like Boston and Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The reason Meet Boston can even do this is because the not-for-profit organization has a gusher of money flowing from a three-year-old surcharge on hotel rooms in Boston and Cambridge that generates tens of millions of dollars a year to boost tourism. Advertisement So what's the best way to spend that money? Some would like the agency to invest more in homegrown grassroots festivals and programming to develop the next wave of signature events that draw visitors from all over New England and beyond. Think the next generation of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, Boston Calling, and First Night. Advertisement Meet Boston does dole out money to community-oriented events, but the disparity of those investments can be huge. Established events can receive $100,000 or more from Meet Boston, while programs like the This year, BAMS Fest founder and executive artistic director Catherine T. Morris spoke onstage at BAMS Fest in 2023. Katy Beth Barber Morris was inspired by Philadelphia's BAMS Fest drawing tens of thousands of attendees over the years, Morris felt like it was the right time to take things to the next level. Weeks after the Globe began asking questions about Meet Boston's funding formula, Morris learned she would be receiving $100,000. It's not $450,000, but she considers it a good start. 'I initially was like, yes!' Morris said. 'So the investment is growing, but I also had mixed emotions regarding what more [money] could do.' Meet Boston's budget has ballooned since 2022, Advertisement That's a huge step up. Before the new levy, Meet Boston — formerly known as the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau — The money has enabled Meet Boston to more than double the size of its staff to about 65 people, spend more on marketing, launch a grant-making programming that gives out roughly $4 million a year, and bankroll initiatives like bringing the Michelin Guide to Boston. But the fact that Meet Boston has money to give out isn't widely known. Some organizations, like the JerkFest is an annual celebration of Caribbean cooking held each year at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. Mark J. Hunt 'I had no idea,' said Susan Chinsen, who works at ArtsEmerson and founded the festival in 2008. The process, she added, felt a 'little exclusive.' Now that she knows the grants exist, Chinsen plans to seek $50,000. That money would allow her to fly in more filmmakers and actors to promote their films at the festival, which draws a few thousand attendees every fall. She thinks more out-of-state visitors would come if she could partner with hotels to offer weekend packages. Even on a shoe-string budget, Chinsen has been able to get Hollywood talent to come to Boston, including George Takei, of Star Trek fame, and Oscar-winning director Ang Lee ('Brokeback Mountain' and 'Life of Pi'). Advertisement Carole Copeland Thomas, a longtime Meet Boston board member who chairs the Multicultural Committee, acknowledged the organization can do a better job with outreach. Over the past two years, Meet Boston has spent nearly $11 million supporting events, and of that, about 25 percent has gone toward multicultural events. 'Clearly, there are new opportunities to let more groups in our city know who we are,' Copeland Thomas said. 'Like any dynamic organization, Meet Boston always strives to represent the full potential of our destination by engaging with diverse communities, events, and organizations that help to drive the travel economy.' Typically, money from the special tourism tax district is supposed to go toward large-scale events that drive overnight stays, especially during periods when there aren't a lot of tourists, like wintertime. Community events don't tend to generate hotel nights. I get why hotels and Meet Boston — its board is stacked with hotel executives — favor visitors who can stay the weekend here, but there's an inherent bias in that strategy, one that gravitates toward established events. Meet Boston has the power to change that dynamic, and it has sometimes done so, putting six-figure resources into Perhaps now more than ever these multicultural gatherings — many of them rooted in neighborhoods of color celebrating the city's diversity — need substantial support at a time when other sources are drying up. Advertisement Another framework to consider is how the The afterparty at the end of the Embrace Ideas Festival in 2023. Vincent Alban For The Boston Globe When I talked to Meet Boston chief executive Martha Sheridan about the bureau's grants, she said the strategy is evolving. 'We don't have unlimited funds,' Sheridan said. 'We are going to have to really figure out a way to get more bang for the buck if you will, and make sure that we can spread the wealth enough but not so much that our investments aren't meaningful. It's a balancing act.' Meet Boston is betting big on the Michelin Guide shining a spotlight on the region's restaurants. Yet the whole thing can feel like a 'Will those Michelin chasers be going to the small mom & pop ethnic, up-and-coming or tried-and-true spots? Probably not,' wrote Jacqueline Church, owner of Boston Chinatown Tours, As federal and corporate funding grows scarce, Meet Boston can meet the moment to help more local events grow and spread tourism dollars into more neighborhoods of Boston. Not doing so is a lost opportunity. Advertisement Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
They paved paradise …
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Yes, Copley Square Park was indeed in need of renovation — its brick walkways were cracked and uneven and its fountain dysfunctional. But even with its flaws, it provided a comfortable setting for twice-weekly farmers markets during the growing season, First Night celebrations, occasional political demonstrations, Boston Marathon events, and a gathering spot for warm-weather lunches. Advertisement It also provided a picture-perfect setting, a front lawn for the stunning Trinity Church. The sections still closed off and under renovation — Advertisement When the park partially reopened in time to accommodate some Marathon-related activities last month, Boston Inviting it isn't — certainly not now. There is, of course, the usual tugging and pulling of local forces over the use of public spaces. Meg Mainer-Cohen, president of the Back Bay Association, which represents the business community in the area, Martyn Roetter, chair of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, said the group had advocated a less costly repair, adding, 'Our impression was that Sasaki (the new park's designer) and the city were pushing to turn Copley Square into a venue like a smaller version of City Hall Plaza.' Well, if that was the aim, mission accomplished. Not that green space is incompatible with hosting public events. The Esplanade, where it's not unknown for a half million people to gather on the Fourth of July, and Boston Common, host to many a rally and protest, are certainly testament to that. In fact, the city did what appears to be a good job of seeking Advertisement The resulting principles governing its design, according to the survey, were to 'comfortably accommodate everyday passive and social visits to the heart of Back Bay' and 'provide a flexible platform for active programming, including a diversity of events, big and small.' They certainly aren't mutually exclusive — but the result thus far leans heavily toward the latter. A barren landscape in the heart of the city, fringed with bits of green at its perimeters, isn't what those surveyed asked for. And it isn't anyone's definition of a park. Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us
Boston Globe
11-05-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
With Copley Square partially reopened, some people are not crazy about the new look
Steven Hubbard, sitting on one of the benches, said he 'hated' the revamped layout. 'It's too much cement, and they took away the greenscape,' Hubbard said, adding that the city needs more shade and trees. 'It's horrible.' But Crystal Rodgers, an archivist at the Boston Public Library, which faces the park, said she was 'mostly happy about it.' Advertisement When she moved to the city in the summer of 2022, the renovated section of the park was an 'unusable patch of grass,' she said. Now, there are more places to sit, Rodgers said, but she wishes there was 'a little more green footprint.' It seems everybody has an opinion on Copley Square's new look. 'Like many Bostonians, I was shocked to see the 'new' Copley Plaza, consisting of mostly barren open space. It is grey, barren and soulless and looks like a skateboard park,' Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft said in a statement last month. 'Where are the trees and green space, and more importantly, did the community have input here?' Mayor Michelle Wu 'needs to explain what happened,' Kraft said. On social media, several users slammed the makeover with some saying the park would've been better left untouched. Advertisement WHERE IS THE GRASS!! Why did it take 2 years to just pave everything over 😭 Copley Square Park, as it's officially known, partially Renovations began in July 2023, and the northeast triangle, between Trinity Church and Boylston Street, opened on New Year's Day this year. The fountain, lawn areas, and perimeter sidewalks are slated for In response to criticism of the new design, the city said the parts of the park that have yet to open will be the greenest. 'Copley Square Park's renovation is ongoing and in the final phase of the project, set to be completed by the end of 2025,' a spokesperson for the city said in a statement. The city gathered feedback from more than A lack of green seemed to be the most common complaint from visitors of the recently reopened portions of the square, which was designed by the firm Drafting the redesign began 'The resulting plan by Sasaki prioritizes accessibility, flexibility, and year-round functionality, ensuring that Copley Square remains a welcoming and sustainable public space for generations to come,' the city spokesperson said. Meg Mainer-Cohen, president of the Back Bay Association, attended the project planning meetings. Some of the city's thinking behind the redesign was to make the square more suitable for special events, she said. Advertisement Grass is easy to damage with overuse, she said, and the city wants more gatherings and community events to take place in the The square already is used to host First Night, staging for the Marathon and farmers markets. It is also sometimes is the site of public protests. 'This is such an important location, for the voice and entertainment of the public ... it's where people come to protest and voice concerns about things that are happening on a local, national, and international level,' she said. Mainer-Cohen also said the green space is going to be closer to the church, the area that is still under construction. The city did plant new trees, but they are 'harder to see because they're brand new' and 'acclimating to their new space,' she added. 'This is a space trying to evolve to the underlying needs and uses of the community while simultaneously having expanded trees,' she said. But Martyn Roetter, chair of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, said he worries the city is too focused on making it an event space. 'Our impression was that Sasaki and the city were pushing to turn Copley Square into a venue, like a smaller version of City Hall Plaza,' he said. The associations had advocated for a less costly repair project estimated at $4 million to $5 million. According to the city's final plan, the new Copley Square design aims to balance large events as well as everyday public use. Advertisement 'I think it's important for us to think about the role that our public spaces can have in creating the community events that strengthen our fabric as Bostonians,' Mainer-Cohen said. Emily Spatz can be reached at
Axios
02-05-2025
- General
- Axios
Revamped Copley Square has some Bostonians asking where the green went
Boston's Copley Square partially reopened last month after nearly two years, and while most visitors love that it's back, some expected more grass and less cement. Why it matters: The $18.9 million renovation transformed what was predominantly a grassy area into a paved plaza. To some, the Back Bay's green oasis now looks more like a parking lot. What they're saying: Back Bay native C.J. told Axios that he's happy the park has reopened and that he likes the plaza's greater capacity for events but that "the jury's still out" on the aesthetics. "It could use maybe a sprinkle of color, some art display or something like that, you know, kind of to signify Copley," he said. Mary M. Smith told Axios she's been waiting for the plaza to reopen and thinks the designers did a beautiful job. "One of the big things for me is the Boston Book Fest, and so I am hoping to see the vendors back, and even before that, I'm looking forward to seeing the farmers market happen again," Smith said. "It sucks," said one woman who declined to be interviewed. Mayor Michelle Wu defended the new layout. "This is the result of months and months of community conversations ... a more walkable, vibrant space for everyone," Wu said. The intrigue: Josh Kraft, Wu's opponent in this year's mayoral election, is asking if that community process was well known enough to everyday Bostonians. "It is grey, barren and soulless and looks like a skateboard park. Where are the trees and green space, and more importantly, did the community have input here?" Kraft wrote in a campaign statement. Yes, but: The park project isn't finished. Fountains and lawns on the Trinity Church side of the square remain under construction. And while the park doesn't have much green at the moment, it does have some yellow. A tulip installation on the Boston Public Library side of the park has blossomed just in time for this week's bout of warm weather. The bottom line: Where the old park presented traditional urban greenery, the revamped Copley Square prioritizes the site as a multiuse gathering spot. The new Copley Square features cement paths meant to improve walkability and for large gatherings, like First Night, sports rallies and other celebrations. The cement walkways have replaced the previously expansive tree-lined grass field nestled between St. James Avenue and Boylston Street with hardscaped surfaces.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We just have so much opportunity': Boston is one of the top areas for women-owned businesses
Women-owned businesses are helping to drive economic growth, employing millions of workers and generating billions of dollars. And one of the best places for women to start a business? Right here in Boston. It ranks among the top five best metro areas for women-owned businesses, making it a hub for female entrepreneurs. 'I think there's a huge network of really strong women leaders in the Boston area,' said Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of Meet Boston. Those female leaders are everywhere. From the political landscape with the mayor, attorney general, governor, and lieutenant governor to major event planners for First Night and Sail Boston, and the tourism sector with the iconic Duck Boats. 'Bostonians and Massachusetts residents in general really respect strong women leaders,' said Sheridan. 'And I think business owners are no different. So they know that they have a place here, and there's a strong network among them where they can count on each other to, you know, bounce off ideas, get support.' That support and compassion has helped Wendy Tatlock launch her business, Care Patrol. Wendy left the corporate world after 20 years and now helps seniors and their families figure out their options when they can't live alone in their homes anymore. 'It's also been very rewarding personally to give back,' said Wendy Tatlock, owner of Care Patrol. 'I have helped so many families and they are so grateful every week.' Care Patrol opened just before COVID hit, so Wendy admits it was hard to get going at first. But she's been able to lean on a whole network of small business owners virtually in the Boston area that are willing to help each other. 'I think women are so resourceful and so resilient, and I think corporate America can be so rigid and political,' said Tatlock. 'I think when women put their mind to something, they can get things done. And around here, we just have so much opportunity.' With that opportunity also comes resources from the International Women's Forum to Meet Boston, which is also female-led. 'Women-owned businesses are incredibly important to our sector in general,' said Sheridan. 'And I think the ones that are really, really managed with strong, solid female leadership do generate a significant amount of revenue not only for themselves, but really for the entire region because their particular businesses attract people here.' Whether it's the restaurant scene, tourism, or health care, these female leaders rely on their work ethic and a network of strong women to succeed. 'It's had its challenges, I'm not going to lie,' said Sheridan. 'Being a woman in this sector. But I can tell you that I love the fact that I can now mentor and grow other women to do what I'm doing in this, in this segment, and that it's not there's nothing more gratifying to me.' 'So when you combine the hard work with the research and believe in yourself, I think anything is possible,' said Tatlock. A recent Wallet Hub study also found that Massachusetts is the best state for women in 2025, in part because it has one of the lowest unemployment rates for women. It also ranks as the best state to have a baby in and the best state for working moms. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
