Tourists Presents Preliminary Plans for $17M Expansion
.jpg)
Tourists' Eric Kerns, left, and Benjamin Svenson, Mayor Jennifer Macksey and Paul St. Pierre of the state's Office of Economic Development at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
Partnership principal Benjamin Svenson and project manager Eric Kerns laid out a vision to the City Council on Tuesday to rejuvenate the century-old mill, bring in more revenue for the city and become a midway point on the bike trail between North Adams Williamstown.
"Our intent is to be up and rolling by 2026," said Svenson, who added the hope that the state will get the North Adams Adventure Trail on the schedule.
Since opening five years ago, the roadside motel turned boutique resort has hosted 35,000 visitors and generated $750,000 in rooms taxes to the city.
"We are proud that the Tourist project has drawn significant positive attention to North Adams, and has been profiled and national and international press at a level unprecedented for the region," said Kerns, citing a number of accolades from hospitality industry and vacation outlets.
"The existing Tourist hotel employs a seasonally flexible staff of 50 to 65, and despite pandemic disruptions, Tourists distributed $6,300,000 in payroll to local workers from 2008 to 2022."
Kerns also noted that the events held at the resort are free and open to the public as are the trails that run through the property. The restaurant and lodge are open to the public as well.
Tourists is working with the city on a tax financing agreement that will aid in getting the $17 million project off the ground. The project is also applying for tax credits through the state. It bought the mill about five years ago.
Paul St. Pierre, regional director of the Western Massachusetts Office of Business Development, said the Tourist project has already gone through the preliminary review process and "is one of the projects that was chosen to move forward in this process."
The state Office of Business Development's mission is facilitate job growth and its largest program, the Economic Development Incentive Program, allows for both state and municipal tax credits.
"The state is looking for projects that otherwise would not be feasible or would not happen as quickly or would not happen as well," he said. "It really is targeted at projects that need support the most to try and get them over the hump and make it possible for these really sometimes transformative projects."
The Economic Assistance Coordinating Council looks at job creation, community support and the ability to bring new dollars into the state. Manufacturing is a key candidate for this program but not the only industry.
"We also like to incentivize hospitality because they're very beneficial to bringing people from out of state and giving them a place to stay," St. Pierre said. "We've seen plenty of data that shows that when people can stay overnight, they'll spend significantly more in the local community." check this
The hotel anticipates adding 25 new positions. It currently has 27 team members who have worked with Tourists more than two years; at three years, the resort bumps its 65 percent health insurance portion to 100 percent and also offers dental and vision, paid parental leave and a 401(k).
Svenson said boutique hospitality "is a labor intensive business" and that the TIF agreements will give the hotel financial operating to invest in staffing "to wield superb guest experiences, successful growth. In fact, service is our signature."
"We make good jobs. We want people in this region to think of hospitality as a career," he said.
The plans for the mill include a deep swale that runs underneath the building that will accommodate the proposed bike path. Svenson said about 1.75 miles of the three-mile Adventure Trail will run through the hotel's property. The trail is a state project so would not be part of the tax credits but it will be part of the hotel's planning.
"We can't build a hotel and then build the bike path underneath it later," said Kerns. "It has to be done in concert with each other or it's not going to work."
He encouraged the council and residents to become squeaky wheels with their state representatives.
Svenson said the new rooms will include kitchenettes (a lesson learned during the pandemic, he said); the form of the 12-foot tall windows will be retained; a common space will also include a provision store, and office and support space.
He said the resort easily gets three inquiries a day about hosting events, but so far has only been accommodate 15 because they didn't build the "big room." The renovation will have that reception space and a restaurant.
The old boiler house, formerly the textile mill's dye house and its oldest structure, will the launching spot for the resorts art and adventure program. Svenson said building and landscapes designs were in the works.
"I think this is going to be an excellent project not only for economic development that extend employment opportunities," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who requested the time for the presentation.
"Sometimes people are critical of TIFs, I used to be one of those people to be quite honest. One thing we have to remember as we move through this process is this is development that we don't have now. And this is development that is going to sustain us for many, many years to come."
The mayor expects to bring an agreement to the council on Aug. 22.
In other business, the council:
• Approved licenses to drive taxicabs for OTT Taxi to Austin Rahilly and Brandon Asher but with a condition that they are pending until some missing information be provided with five days. Councilors Keith Bona and Wayne Wilkinson voted no. The vote followed a lengthy discussion on whether to approve licenses since a location was missing for OTT since it is apparently moving.
• Approved a secondhand dealer license to Wesley Nelson and Andrea Belair for Belltower Records LLC (postponed from July 11; Bona abstained).
• Confirmed the appointments of Kevin Hempstead to the Traffic Commission, filling the unexpired term of Jessi Byrne ending Jan. 12, 2024, and Annette Guerino to the Windsor Lake Recreation Commission to fill the unexpired term of Lawrence Jowett, ending April 1, 2024. Also, the reappointment of Timothy Lescarbeau to the Hoosick Water Quality District for a term expiring April 1, 2026.
• Failed to pass a request by Wilkinson amend council rules to add a liaison to the Redevelopment Authority. The vote was a tie with Councilors Bona, Marie T. Harpin, Peter Oleskiewicz and Bryan Sapienza voting against, feeling a liaison was not needed. Councilor Jennifer Barbeau was absent.
Tags: Blackinton Mill, tax exemption,
