Back in March, Mayor Marty Walsh made it clear that he would investigate the feasibility of keeping Boston’s nightlife open later and the late night culture more vibrant. Dan Koh, the mayor’s chief of staff, alluded that a task force would be designated to look into the mayor’s proposition and be comprised of some 10 to 15 members. On Monday, Mayor Walsh announced the appointment of his 24-member late night task force.
The task force is charged with examining whether keeping Boston bars and restaurants, as well as a variety of businesses and services, open until approximately 3:30 a.m. is a viable undertaking. Currently, many of Boston’s food service industry locations close up shop at, or shortly past, 1:00 a.m.
“As I shared with the Boston Municipal Research Bureau in March, we have an opportunity here to create the kind of nightlife that visitors expect in a world-class city,” said Mayor Walsh in a statement. “We’re thinking globally, and by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and the community, we can explore new ways to make Boston a more exciting and engaging place to live, work, study and visit.”
Mayor Walsh’s speech with the Research Bureau called for not only later nightlife in Boston to go along with the MBTA’s late night weekend pilot program, but for Boston’s lifestyle culture to thrive while burning the midnight oil.
In that respect, the task force will consider all of the public safety requirements, and the proper licensing needed for liquor stores and establishments with entertainment to function lawfully.
The Harvard Kennedy School is also participating in the research efforts, tracking data from other cities that have fought for a more fulfilled nightlife. According to the Mayor’s Press Office, they’ve been able to compile data related to “how other cities have approached expanded late night activities, surveyed young people, and mapped liquor license and crime statistics, Boston’s street lights, and where young adults live.”
The 24-person task force is made up of the following individuals, all representative of the many different facets of Boston’s business and culture – the only exception being anyone from a startup, and just one representative from a single Boston neighborhood association.
- Bill Lee, Owner, Hong Kong Restaurant
- Bob Luz, President/CEO, Massachusetts Restaurant Association
- Brian Carthas, Associate, Openview Ventures
- Brian Davis, District Sales Manager, EMC Corporation
- Carol Downs, Co-owner and General Manager, Bella Luna Restaurant & The Milky Way Lounge
- Chloe Ryan, Manager, ONEin3 Program
- David Colella, General Manager, Colonnade Hotel
- Dean Kenneth Elmore, Dean of Students, Boston University
- Duncan Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Newbury Comics
- Jamie Chisholm, Vice President, Resolute Consulting LLC
- Jim Doolin, Chief Development Officer, Massport
- Jorge Mendoza, Co-owner and Chef, Vinoteca di Monica
- Kareem Agha, Account Executive, Bullhorn
- Kate Ziegler, Co-Director, Hollaback! Boston
- Kelly Gifford, Director of External Relations, ICA
- Lauren Campbell, Student, UMass Boston
- Marvin McMoore, Student, Northeastern University
- Meg Mainzer-Cohen, President and Executive Director, Back Bay Association
- Police Sergeant (Det.) Robert Mulvey, Boston Police Department
- Russ deMariano, Owner, Goodcheer Enterprises, Redbrook Restaurant Group
- Edrie Edrie, Accordionist, Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys
- Sidney Baptista, Senior Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Teresa Coffey-Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer Millennium Partners Sports Club Management LLC
- Vincent Petryk, Owner, JP Licks
