Page 14 - BusinessWest June 9, 2021

The Sheraton Springfield
SDowntown Mainstay Sees New Signs of Life, Anticipates Many More
tacey Gravanis doesn’t particularly like these facilities knew it that phrase ‘new normal’ (and she’s cer- before COVID-19. tainly not alone in that opinion). She pre- “The bottom just fell
fers ‘return to life’ to describe what’s happen- out,” she said, for all cat-
ing at her business, the Sheraton Springfield, and the broad hospitality sector.
“Our customers are reacting.
I have said there’s not going to
be this switch that flips, and the business is just going to come back. But it felt like that day, someone did flip a switch because the phones were going crazy. What we budgeted for June ... we already have it on the books.”
And that choice of phrase certainly speaks volumes about what’s been happening — or not happening, as the case may be — in the hotel industry over the past 14 months. In short, there haven’t been many signs of life, at least life as
egories of business for the hotel — corporate and leisure stays, events, conventions, visitors to the casino, weddings, even the business from the military and airlines (flight crews flying into Bradley staying overnight came to a screeching halt in mid-March 2020). And it would be months before any of that came back, and then it was mostly the airline and military business, said Gravanis.
“When it first started,
we were tracking the
loss on a weekly basis;
we had a spread sheet
that we would review,”
she recalled. “And then we just stopped review- ing it, because everything, everything, canceled. Reviewing it was pointless; we were just focused on how to rebuild.”
Stacey Gravanis says the phones starting ringing seemingly within minutes after the governor announced the new timetable for the final stage of his reopening plan.
That rebuilding process started over the last two quarters of 2020, she said, adding that, by May, occupancy
reached 40%, 10%
above what she
Sheraton
Continued on page 17
WE’RE BACK
AND WITH A NEW LOOK!
At the Greater Holyoke Chamber, we are focusing on accessibility and inclusivity. Changes, including Bilingual marketing essentials and website, are coming to the Chamber!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 25th • 12-2PM
Hamel’s Creative Catering –
Legislative Luncheon ft. Sen. Velis, Rep. Duffy, and Holyoke Community College focusing on Workforce Development, Workforce Obstacles, State Resources, and Unemployment
June 30th • 12-1PM
Online – Annual Meeting: hear updates, check in, and see what’s to come for 2021!
Check out our new website: www.HolyokeChamber.com
NEW MEMBERSHIP DUES STRUCTURE:
$39/mo. or $429/ year – 1 month free, 9+employees
$19/mo. or $229/ year – 1 month free, 1-8 employees
14 JUNE 9, 2021
FEATURE
Staff Photo
BusinessWest