Page 29 - BusinessWest December 22, 2021

BusinessWest
THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Fair Amount of Intrigue
... Page 6
AUGUST 18, 2021
VOLUME 38 NUMBER 7 $3.00
Big E President and CEO Eugene Cassidy
BUSINESSWEST COM
Inside: Special Section
Senior Planning Guide Pages 19-54
“While full recovery is still a ways off, the region’s large and vital tourism and hospitality industry staged an inspiring comeback in 2021. The biggest story, on many levels, was the return of the Big E after a one- year hiatus due to COVID.”
The biggest story, on many levels, was the return of the Big E after a one-year hiatus due to COVID. The 17-day fair drew large crowds — nearly 1.5 million in total — and on the final Saturday, it topped the all-time single-day atten- dance mark with 177,238 visitors.
Meanwhile, the fair boosted the
fortunes of a number of other busi-
nesses, from hotels and restaurants
to tent-renting companies. But there
were other signs of progress as well,
including solid visitation numbers at a
renovated Basketball Hall of Fame, the
return of live performances at Jacob’s Pillow and a host of other cultural venues, a steady if unspec- tacular year for MGM Springfield, and, of course, the return of the Springfield Thunderbirds, which were in first place as of this writing.
As for restaurants, they rebounded as well,
ditional number) because of a lack of workers. As for hotels and event venues, weddings and similar events returned in full force, but the story
was different on the corporate side, with travel and events still well below pre-COVID levels. So, while the tourism sector has recovered to some degree, there is still some work to do.
The Vaccination Issue
Businesses already facing a number of chal- lenges as a result of COVID were handed another with the arrival of vaccinations to combat the virus.
The efficacy of vaccines isn’t in doubt. While they don’t totally prevent spread or infection, their impact on severity is well-documented, with hospital ICUs reporting that 95% or more of the most severe cases — and deaths — in 2021
“While the vaccines have certain- ly prompted decreases in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID, they have left employers with hard decisions — and some dilemmas.
have been among the unvaccinated. And those deaths are nothing to scoff at. As the pandemic approaches the end of a second year, the U.S. is about to surpass 800,000 deaths from the virus, hitting the elderly the hardest; roughly one in 100
with patrons returning in large numbers, espe- cially after the state lifted all restrictions on such businesses just before Memorial Day. But for most all restaurants, reopening came with challenges, especially on the workforce side, with many forced to close more than one day a week (the tra-
”
CHICOPEE INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTORS
The Permanent Solution To Your Temporary Problem.
CIC is a
Woman Owned Business certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and WBENC,
serving industry since 1992.
Carol F. Campbell President | CEO
413.538.7279 www.chicopeeindustrial.com
Rigging | Millwright | Transportation | Relocation | Industrial Construction | Storage
YEAR IN REVIEW
DECEMBER 22, 2021 29
Anticipation Mixes with Anxiety as Big E Approaches
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