Christine Thomas: Next Wave
Christine Thomas, Development partner at XSS Hotels and Colwen Management. Hometown: West Newbury Vt., Years working in Central Mass.: 20
Even as little as one year ago, Worcester was facing a hotel shortage, unable to compete for major events to come to the city for a lack of places for participants to stay. As Worcester continues its urban renaissance, Thomas is ensuring a hotel expansion is in the mix.
XSS Hotels – where Thomas direct project acquisition and site selection – opened the 100-room Hampton Inn & Suites in March in Gateway Park, abutting its other hotel in the city – Courtyard by Marriott – and bringing the total number of hotel rooms in the city to nearly 950. XSS will push the city over 1,000 hotel rooms next year after opening the 168-room AC Hotel by Marriott, designed to bring a higher-end luxury hotel room to the Worcester market.
Q&A
Why is now the time to build hotels in Worcester?
The downtown renaissance and urban connectivity created by Union Station elevated the city. Contemporary lodging and meeting space are essential and transformational components.
What is the potential of the Central Mass. tourism industry?
The region is geographically well situated with an increasingly broad range of venues.
Gathered below are the other Central Massachusetts' 2016 Power Players:
Standard Bearers: Long-time forces in the business community
- Timothy P. Murray, President & CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Mike Angelini, Chairman of Bowditch & Dewey
- The Crowleys, Owners & Shareholders of Polar Beverages & Wachusett Mountain Ski Area
- Sandy L. Dunn, General manager at the SMG/DCU Center
- Don Irving, President of Black Point Realty & Nichols Square LLC
Trail Blazers: Pioneers setting the latest economic trends
- Karim El-Gamal, Co-owner of the Rail Trail Flatbread Co./New City Microcreamery/
- Ed Moore, President & CEO of Harrington HealthCare System
- Girish Navani, CEO of eClinicalWorks
- Kevin O’Sullivan, President & CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, Worcester
- Alec Lopez & Sherri Sadowski, Owners of Armsby Abbey/Crust Bakeshop/The Dive Bar
Behind the Scenes: People in the background who keep the wheels turning
- Cheryl Lapriore, Chief of staff & chief marketing officer at UMass Memorial Health Care
- Gordon Lankton, Retired president of Nypro Inc.
- Ann T. Lisi, President & CEO of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation
- Kate McEvoy-Zdonczyk, Vice president of business development at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Jim McGovern & Karyn E. Polito, U.S. Congressman & Lieutenant Governor
Next Wave: Forward thinkers ushering in the new economy
- Travis McCready, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
- Che Anderson, Project manager at the Office of the Worcester City Manager
- Jeannie Hebert, President & CEO of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Dean Rohan, Co-founder & owner, Tree House Brewing Co.
Gear Shifters: Up-and-comers breathing new life into old ideas
- Meredith Harris, Executive director of the Marlborough Economic Development Corp.
- Tarek Elsawy, MD President & CEO of Reliant Medical Group
- Justin & Ashleigh Gelinas, Attorneys at Gelinas & Ward, LLP
- Cliff Rucker, Owner of the Worcester Railers Hockey Club and Worcester Sports Center
- Matthias Waschek, Director at the Worcester Art Museum
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