Why the 2024 sale of Cape Cod’s largest meeting center matters
$2.7 billion.
That’s what visitors to Cape Cod spent in Barnstable County in 2023. So says an October report from the state Office of Travel and Tourism.
“Travel and tourism is the cornerstone of the Cape’s economy,” Paul Niedzwiecki said in a Dec. 19 interview. “It touches everyone.”
As CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Niedzwiecki has his finger on the pulse of what opportunities and challenges business owners are looking at in 2025. Those opportunities and challenges include aging bridges to and from Cape Cod, shrinking convention space and increasing competition off-Cape.
The 1,300 member chamber is the third largest in the state and it works closely with the state travel and tourism office to bring visitors to the Cape and build both its seasonal and year-round economy.
“The reality is the Cape is a sought after destination,” he said. “Of all the money spent at restaurants, 43% is from visitors. On retail it’s 36%. And of all the money spent in local businesses, 47% is tied to the travel and tourism industry.”
2025: Bourne and Sagamore bridges a top concern
“The bridges are the existential issue for Cape Cod,” Niedzwiecki said.
The 89-year-old bridges have been deemed functionally obsolete, yet they are the only way on and off the Cape for most visitors and are crucial for the region’s economic health. Even a temporary closure for rehabilitation could cause a 30% decline in both business activity and job loss, he said, citing a Cape Cod Commission economic impact study.
The federal government has pledged $1.7 billion toward the replacement of the Sagamore Bridge. The state will need to pay the rest of the estimated $2.25 billion cost of replacement. But the end goal is still a decade away.
“There might be some concern about how solid the federal investments for the Sagamore Bridge are now that there’s a change in administration at the federal level,” Niedzwiecki said. “We’re hopeful that that money remains in place and hopefully we can see that project start in 2026.”
Forty individuals and organizations in a Cape and Islands Bridges Coalition are dedicated to following the project through to completion, according to Niedzwiecki. Their work will include seeking support for federal and state funds to replace the Bourne Bridge.
2025: Loss of largest convention center in Hyannis
The sale of a section of the Cape Cod Irish Village at 35 Scudder Ave. in Hyannis to the Riverview School means the loss of the Cape’s largest convention center and meeting space. The 30,000-square-foot conference center had 15 meeting rooms and an 11,700 square-foot ballroom. Tour and school groups, boat shows and many other gatherings will need to find another place to hold their events, Niedzwiecki said.
Margaritaville Resort Cape Cod’s 8,200-square-foot ballroom that can fit 400 is the option now.
Niedzwiecki would like to see a sports facility built that could handle groups for games, practices and other events. It will require community support, a business plan, a suitable location and capital, but he’s confident it can be done.
“It’s super important that we replace the largest meeting space we’re losing,” Niedzwiecki said. “Hopefully we can get something bigger that will bring people to the Cape that don’t come here now.”
2025: Competition and marketing challenges
An increasingly competitive tourism market has pit the Cape against Boston, Cambridge, Plymouth and other areas within and outside of the state. Niedzwiecki would like to see the Cape form a Tourism Destination Marketing District, a designation that would allow hotels and motels to collect up to 2% assessment on nightly stays. Introduced in the 2021 Massachusetts Economic Development bill, the district designation has allowed Boston and Cambridge to raise millions for advertising and marketing.
“We’re seeing more competition in the general New England area,” Niedzwiecki said. “We need the state to support the travel and tourism industry in ways they haven’t done in the past.”
Denise Coffey writes about business, tourism and issues impacting the Cape’s residents and visitors. Contact her at[email protected] .
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