Join us for our installment of the Pacesetters Doing Business series featuring Mass General Brigham on August 7, 2025.
08/07/2025
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Virtual
The BIMA Summer Sizzler is a chance to network with your digital media industry peers from the agency, publisher, and adtech community!
08/14/2025
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Fenway Park
Join Boston’s leading educators and industry experts to explore career-aligned high school programs, in-demand workplace skills, and innovative school partnerships driving student success
07/17/2025
9:00am - 11:00am
Omni Boston Hotel Seaport
This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.
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An Open Discussion with Boston’s Director of Nightlife Economy, Corean Reynolds
A ban on happy hours. Public transit that stops running before nightlife establishments close. Expensive and limited liquor licenses and cover charges. High costs of living that impact the nightlife economy. And laws that don’t always consider the cultural makeup of the city.
These are just a few of the challenges to navigate when we think about creating a city that we want to see, one that puts the same amount of energy into nighttime as it does the daytime –one that responds to the unique needs of Boston’s culturally diverse residents.
On the other hand, Boston has expanded its usage of outdoor and green spaces that foster community growth through activities like outdoor movie nights. With more than 150,000 college students who hang out along the Green Line areas of Allston and Brighton, Boston is seeing a shift in elevating existing spaces that can support its nightlife economy.
Showcasing its commitment to retaining talent and celebrating the cultural vibrancy of Greater Boston, the City has appointed its first Director of Nightlife Economy, Corean Reynolds, in February. She is one of only 13 people in the United States in this role. With a work history in urban planning and a vested interest in closing racial wealth gaps, Corean’s role is focused on, as she worded it, “what we are doing when we aren’t at school, home, or work, where we get creative, where we heal, and where we express ourselves.” Her role is beyond the physical establishments that make Boston a place to live, but rather, how nightlife will impact the quality of life for residents, and how it intersects with public health, transit, and more.
Earlier this month, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and City Awake held an open discussion with Corean and our young professional community on these topics.
One focus of the conversation was on ensuring that the youth (under 21, and even the 16-18 group) have spaces to gather for cultural activities and nighttime social events. While arcades are traditional spaces for youth, it is not always financially stable to just have arcade games. The event attendees suggested popup events with mocktails that could allow students to showcase their musical talents, events to showcase school pride (BC vs. BU nights, etc.) that could be incentivized with discount codes for the winners, and even opportunities for students to get involved in the nightlife economy itself via internships.
There was also a focus on creating spaces that different communities in Boston want to see. One example was the large Dominican community in Boston that would like to see Hookah lounges come to the city so that they don’t have to travel a distance from the city to find one. Unfortunately, due to the Boston Health Commission ruling to ensure that everyone is able to work in a smoke-free environment, this may not be the easiest feat, but thinking of our diverse communities and what they are looking for from their nightlife experience was a focus of the discussion.
Corean shared with attendees some next steps that she is working on with city leaders to mitigate some of Boston nightlife;s current challenges. Here are some of the areas she highlighted:
Not only are all these initiatives and new considerations a huge step forward for the City of Boston’s nightlife economy, but with Corean at the helm, Bostonians will be considered as new systems are built. Clear pathways will be in place to show entrepreneurs how to open space, ensuring that folks know the way to achieve cultural and community events (like block parties), that resources (such as the space grant program and technical assistance program currently in place) are widely known about, and additional resources will become available.
Whether or not you participate in the club and bar scene after hours in Boston, the nightlife economy is so much more than that—it is what is available to the third shift hospital workers, transit for students, health resources, and so much more.
A new night is dawning in Boston, and we can’t wait to see the changes ahead.
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