Will Boston's Winter Tourism Heat Up Or Stay Ice Cold?: The HUB

Boston MA

22 October, 2021

12:51 AM

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The HUB is a daily newsletter designed for what you want — to be caught up on the most interesting, important news in 5 minutes or less. It's a little bit of this, a little bit of that, but if there's something you want more or less of, email me at [email protected]. Today is Friday, October 22. Let's get started. Winter is coming, and if you're anything like me, you prefer going somewhere tropical for a holiday vacation. But that doesn't mean Boston doesn't have its classic winter tourist attractions worth seeing. Many of them are coming back this winter after the coronavirus pandemic canceled them in 2020. One of those Boston classics coming back is "The Nutcracker," which is set for 35 performances this winter. These will be Boston Ballet's first in-person shows since March 2020. The shows at the Boston Opera House have already sold 15,000 tickets, with masking and proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirements for entry. Events like "The Nutcracker" have the city's tourist sector cautiously optimistic for this winter. Rosemarie Sansone, the president of Downtown Boston Business Improvement District, told the Boston Globe she's excited for the star-shaped holiday lights to go up downtown. She hopes that also means shoppers, theater-goers and restaurant customers will return. Still, industry leaders acknowledged the winter tourist season could be rough. "The fall is looking relatively strong, all things considered," Martha Sheridan, the CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau told the Boston Globe. "I have some concerns about the winter because one of our biggest problems right now is that corporate travel, meetings, and conventions are not back to where we want them to be." Read more from the Boston Globe. Top stories The former chief financial officer for the now defunct Boston Grand Prix admitted in federal court to defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Internal Revenue Service out of COVID-19 relief money and using it to buy a diamond ring and a Match.com membership. John F. Casey, 57, formerly of Ipswich, pleaded guilty to 23 counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, four counts of money laundering and three counts of filing false tax returns. Casey worked for the failed car race that was abruptly canceled in 2016 leaving behind numerous questions and empty bank accounts. (WCVB Boston) For weeks, City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George has spent the final stretch of the mayoral race trying to expand her support among the city's communities of color. She's met with Haitian seniors, Black hospitality workers, walked through Uphams Corner with Cape Verdean leaders and campaigned with Roxbury mothers, in an attempt to close the gap with Michelle Wu, who has a large lead in polls with non-white voters. But with less than two weeks before Election Day, some political observers say Essaibi George's last-minute push might be a little too late. (Boston Globe) A Tufts University student who died in an off-campus accident fatally choked during a charity event for breast cancer awareness. Madie Nicpon, a junior on the women's lacrosse team, was participating in a hot dog eating contest as part of the "Play for Pink" fundraiser on Saturday. She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she died the next day. (Somerville Patch) A cross stands at Tufts on College Ave honoring the life of student Madie Nicpon, who died unexpectedly over the weekend. The university described the lacrosse player as a bright light on campus. @7news (2nd 📸: Tufts women's lax roster) pic.twitter.com/Jbzu7q5MJl— victoria price (@victoriapricetv) October 21, 2021 The Eats Taco Bell Cantina is planning to open a location in South Boston. Cantina Hospitality, LLC has applied for a license to open a restaurant into a building on West Broadway off of Dorchester Street that has been empty for years. If approved, the cantina would be the second in the Boston-area. There's one in Brookline with a full bar serving alcohol, though there's no indication the Southie location is seeking a liquor license. (Boston Patch) In case you missed it A federal judge denied an injunction requested by several employees at Mass General Brigham Wednesday to stop the company from placing them on unpaid leave for not cooperating with the system's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Mass General Brigham employees had until Wednesday to show they have received at least one dose of the vaccine, or be placed on unpaid leave. The hospital says those who have not received their first shot by Nov. 5 with face termination. (Boston Patch) Elsewhere in Massachusetts The MBTA commuter rail is making it easier to enjoy Salem Halloween events without having to drive into Salem for the next two weekends. The MBTA added six inbound and five outbound routes between Beverly and North Station over the next two Saturdays and Sundays. (Salem Patch) Weather: The National Weather Service says mostly sunny, with a high near 71. West wind around 10 mph. – Jimmy Bentley About me: Jimmy Bentley is a Massachusetts and Rhode Island field editor for Patch covering Cape Cod, Braintree, Barrington, East Greenwich, East Providence and North Kingstown. He was a reporter at the Plympton-Halifax Express and interned for Patch while earning his master's at Emerson College. In his free time, Jimmy hits concerts (sometimes reviewing them for Patch), watches movies and plays ice hockey.