Latest news with #ProvidenceWarwickConvention&VisitorsBureau
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New nonprofit to focus on maximizing local benefits of 2026 FIFA World Cup
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The four-year wait is almost over for the next World Cup, and local soccer fans are ready to get a front-row seat. However, there's a lot of planning that needs to be done before kickoff, as the event will be one of the biggest the region has ever seen. Kristen Adamo, the president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, describes it as the soccer equivalent of seven Super Bowls in six weeks. 'If something goes wrong, the whole world knows it,' Adamo said. 'It's really important for us to keep everybody safe, to keep everybody happy and to have a really good experience while they're here.' That's also why the new nonprofit, Ocean State 2026, was created: to make sure Rhode Island benefits the most from the $1 billion economic boom expected in the New England region. Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner is stepping away from her cabinet role in order to take on the challenge as the nonprofit's executive director. RELATED: RI commerce secretary steps down to lead nonprofit She expects around 800,000 people will be coming to the region to watch the matches held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, which is why she plans to highlight the perks only found in Rhode Island. 'There will be games to the south of us and north of us, so the ability to stay in Rhode Island and be able to get to those locations, whether by rail or by car, is going to make it ultra impressive,' Tanner explained. 'Also, we've got the best beaches around, and so people will be able to stay here in Rhode Island, see the games and get to the beaches as well.' Tanner said her focus will be on the fan experience, which is why she'll be looking for business sponsorships and ways for convention bureaus and tourism partners to host events. She'll also be responsible for making sure event rules are being followed. Adamo said she's looking forward to collaborating with Ocean State 2026 to make sure fans come to Rhode Island. 'Once we have more funding available, that gives us more money to do planning, more marketing, more events all over the state,' Adamo said. 'Because what we want to happen is that they're coming here for the first time, they love Rhode Island, and maybe they come back.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Real Housewives' franchise is coming to RI. But not everyone is real thrilled.
Will "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island" encourage the rest of the country to come visit our beaches and try our restaurants? Or will the show – not exactly known for showcasing decorum, taste, and restraint – become a source of embarrassment for the Ocean State? "I am cautiously optimistic about 'The Real Housewives of Rhode Island,'" said Kristin Adamo, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. "I'm hoping they show the beauty of the state and the accomplishments of these women, but I have seen episodes of the other shows and it doesn't always go that way." "I think once we see a few episodes, we will know the tone and decide if it will be useful in tourism marketing," she added. When Bravo announced its plans for the show on May 8, top state leaders, including Gov. Dan McKee, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson, all applauded the move, describing it as an opportunity to showcase the state's history, culture, food and hospitality. But on social media, some critics questioned whether it would really show Rhode Island in a positive light. "Has anyone currently residing in the state of Rhode Island ever seen this show?!?" asked Dominique Baker on the social media site Bluesky. "Whew, this will be a rude awakening for the tourism bureau." Steve Feinberg, the executive director of Rhode Island Film and Television Office, told WPRO's Tara Granahan that "Real Housewives" won't receive any tax credits for filming in Rhode Island, and will cost the state nothing. "It's great promotion to a worldwide audience," he said, suggesting that tourists will want to visit the bars and restaurants that cast members frequent on the show, and that it could make West Coast residents curious about visiting the East Coast. "It will absolutely attract more tourists to Rhode Island, there's no question," he said. However, some residents fear that the show will only bring more publicity to areas of the state that are already crowded with tourists. "It's always great when Rhode Island can show off to the whole nation," said Mel Rainsberger of Providence. "We have superb food, activities, and many amazing destinations. But I'm a little afraid it'll only feature the already-oversaturated Newport area and not give attention to our other amazing towns." "From what knowledgeable industry folks are telling me, the production doesn't use union labor and most of the crew will be brought from out of state," Rainsberger added. "We have talented homegrown creatives that would love to work on a big production like this, and it's disappointing they won't be included." Bravo did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the show would use union labor or local crews. The cast of "Real Housewives of Rhode Island" hasn't been announced yet, making it hard to know exactly how the show will portray Rhode Island to a national audience. However, executive producer Andy Cohen told the New York Post's Page Six on May 7 that the cast is "very Italian." "Rhode Island is such a small state, and they all kind of know each other and overlap, and it's an incredible group of women who have really interesting connections," he said. "I think it's going to really surprise people.' Cohen told Page Six that RHORI would differ from Real Housewives of New Jersey because "[i]t's coastal" and the cast is 'more Italian' with 'deep families." However, it "does kind of remind you of early 'Jersey' in a weird way," he said. Speaking to WPRO, Feinberg said that filming will take place in spring, summer and early fall. Rhode Island hasn't always welcomed reality TV. In 2003, when MTV sought to film The Real World/Road Rules Challenge in Newport, neighbors objected and pointed out that having 28 cast members live in a Bellevue Avenue estate would violate local ordinances that prohibit more than five unrelated people to occupy a residential property. "I don't think that's the image Newport needs to portray and I especially don't think it's the image Newport needs to portray on Bellevue Avenue," attorney Turner Scott, who represented the Bellevue-Ochre Point Neighborhood Association, said at the time. The show also got a hostile reception on Middletown's Indian Avenue, and ultimately decided to go elsewhere. The new show won't be the franchise's first foray to the Ocean State. For Season 12, episode 9 of 'The Real Housewives of New York City,' the group traveled to the "shi shi" city of Newport, describing it as a "miniature Southampton." They even stayed at the Castle Hill Inn though, in typical 'Real Housewives' style, there were plenty of moments of messiness and the episode was aptly named 'Hurricane Leah.' Reporter Rin Velasco contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Will 'The Real Housewives of Rhode Island' show the best of RI?
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's Happening: Providence Culinary Collective
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) is hosting its inaugural Providence Culinary Collective, happening March 27-30, 2025 in locations throughout Providence. The Providence Culinary Collective, alongside the inaugural Rhode Island Wine Experience (Wine X) has a multi-day schedule of events featuring signature tastings and specially curated paired dinners that honor the city's culinary legacy and reflect its brand. Events are being held in conjunction with Lil Rhody Laugh Riot, a new four-day comedy festival happening simultaneously in multiple venues in the city and featuring more than 20 comedians including Kevin Hart, Matt Rife, Aziz Ansari and Leslie Jones. In the attached clip, Ashley Erling gets a preview of the festivities! Each weekend, Ashley brings you around Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts for a look at what's happening as part of our all-new, expanded 12 News This Morning. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Providence will be the backdrop to upcoming hearing in federal funding freeze lawsuit
Providence serves as the setting for a hearing in a high–profile lawsuit filed by 23 Democratic attorneys general seeking to block a federal funding freeze. (Photo by Nicholas Millard/Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau) Attorneys offered a glimpse of what's to come in the federal lawsuit challenging the federal funding freeze during a virtual status conference in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island Thursday. The 21-minute meeting was streamed via the court's YouTube page, an unusual move for a 'pedantic scheduling conference' typically only open to parties to the case, Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. said. However, McConnell said the court received multiple press inquiries asking the meeting to be open to the public. The high–profile lawsuit was first filed in Providence on Jan. 28 by 23 Democratic attorneys general scrambling to block a federal funding freeze in the wake of a White House budget memo. The memo was later rescinded, but McConnell granted a temporary restraining order on Jan. 31, preventing President Donald Trump and the other federal cabinet heads named in the complaint from freezing funds until further notice. The AGs still want a more permanent block via a preliminary injunction, which would prevent the federal government from barring states' access to critical federal grants and aid until a final judgment is made. The AGs have until Friday to submit additional, written arguments for the preliminary injunction. The forthcoming filing will likely include more affidavits from state administrators whose agencies would be hurt by a freeze, Kate Sabatini, civil division chief for the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, told McConnell. However, the AGs don't plan on bringing in witnesses to testify in a trial-like proceeding known as an evidentiary hearing. Daniel Schwei, the U.S. Department of Justice attorney representing Trump and federal cabinet heads, also said the defense does not plan to call for witness testimony. 'We share the desire for an expeditious resolution,' Schwei said. The proposal for preliminary injunction will be argued in federal court in Providence on Feb. 21, though there will also be an option for remote participation. Ahead of the hearing, McConnell verbally indicated he will grant a 14-day extension to the existing temporary restraining order, ensuring there are no attempts to freeze access to federal funds. A written order was filed in court immediately following the hearing, according to court documents. However, there appears to be confusion over what's included in his existing restraining order. Schwei, in a Monday, Feb. 3, filing, said he intended to confirm compliance with McConnell's restraining order, but also noted some 'ambiguous terms and provisions' in the judge's language. Schwei wrote that the federal administration did not interpret the block to apply to Trump's executive orders, nor to actions by any of the federal agencies not named in the case. Rabia Muqaddam, special counsel for federal initiatives with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, said Thursday that state agencies were still being blocked from accessing federal funds that support programs and payroll under this loophole. McConnell punted further discussion on the issue to a future hearing, since the concerns did not relate to scheduling or administrative tasks. 'On something as serious as that or as big as that, we need to do it formally,' he said, adding that the existing restraining order was 'clear.' Ahead of the upcoming hearing on Feb. 21, McConnell also promised to share a list of 'our finest restaurants' with out-of-towners. On Monday, a federal judge in D.C. issued a temporary restraining order blocking the funding freeze in response to a separate lawsuit filed by nonprofit and business groups. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘To be a powerhouse city, we need to show off our talent': New wine, culinary festivals coming to Providence
Some of the events will be free or low-cost and open to the public, where you can sip and eat creative bites from local food trucks. Others will 'roll out the red carpet, with caviar and champagne,' said Ortiz. That range, they said, is the point. Advertisement Rosanna Ortiz, left, and Kristen Adamo, right, at a vineyard in Napa Valley, California. Kristen Adamo The long-time friends are influential women in their own right, particularly when it comes to showcasing the city's core features. Adamo is the president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she has the ear of politicians and is responsible for bringing millions of dollars in meetings, conventions, and Adamo has been dreaming up a culinary festival in Providence for nearly two decades, while Ortiz said she has been nurturing the idea of hosting a wine festival for years. But this year's won't be a one-off. Advertisement 'This is our incubator,' Adamo promises, hoping this will become an annual tradition that will grow over time. This year's festivals are the first-of-their-kind in Providence, but some elements will be reflective of other festivals around the country. They spoke to the organizers of Charleston Wine & Food festival, which is a major bash, during their planning, for example. Related : Unlike many wine festivals around the region, Ortiz said she has prioritized paying her sommeliers. As organizers, she and Adamo really aren't paying themselves, but some proceeds will go to Feed the Children, an anti-hunger nonprofit that delivers food and other essentials to children and families. On March 27, they'll kick off the festival in the morning by reopening the The lamb shank at Cafe Nuovo is slow-braised for six hours with roasted orzo and tomato braising sauce. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff 'We're going to focus on domestic, because no one does. Everyone reaches for Italian and International, when we have plenty of really great wines right in California,' said Ortiz. On March 28, guests will be able to meet Advertisement On March 29, several food trucks will line up outside Veterans Memorial Auditorium for bites, while local beer and wine will be served from Good Vibes Beverages. Wine X will host a tasting event ( They'll host a 'Vintners Dinner' by chef Inside the former Dorrance restaurant space at 60 Dorrance St., in Providence, R.I. Go Providence Each day, they'll also host a 'Trash Talk & Tipsy' pairing series, which will explore the perhaps underrated satisfactions of They'll close out the festivals on March 30 with a drag brunch outside The Dark Lady and The Alley Cat, 'March in Providence is going to be a lot,' said Adamo, who rattled off several major events that will take place prior to the festivals: St. Patrick's Day, national wrestling matches, Related : Advertisement Motioning over a three-page schedule of events for the culinary and wine festivals, Adamo and Ortiz said the schedule is still in flux, and they may be adding more tasting events and ticketed dinners. One of them, which is still being planned, could be right at Res American Bistro. 'This is ambitious,' said Adamo of the food and wine festivals, while holding out her stemmed wine glass for another pour. 'But it's the right time for Providence. And this city deserves a showcase.' Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
