First 'nightlife czar' Corean Reynolds wants Boston to be a '24-hour city'
BOSTON - It's a tall task for one woman, but Corean Reynolds is ready to take it on, she says. The former Boston Foundation and Gaming Commission employee is Boston's new - and first ever - Director for Nightlife Economy.
So, what does that mean? WBZ-TV went for a walk with Reynolds through the first neighborhood she plans to tackle: Downtown Crossing.
"We want Boston to be a 24-hour city," she said. "We want a robust economy in the nightlife. We already have a robust economy from 9 to 5 and from 8 to 4, but how do you extend that?"
For Reynolds, part of extending the robust nightlife is bringing flavors of the city's 23 neighborhoods into its center. "We want to infuse this area with what you can find in Roxbury, in Dorchester, in Mattapan, and South Boston," she said. "Bringing more of Boston downtown, right? It's not just big names but [also] the mom and pops that don't necessarily activate these spaces. Like what does that look like here?"
Her plans extend past bars and nightclubs, too. "There are other activities, like going to the MFA at night, or going to the ICA on First Fridays where it's not centered around alcohol," she explained. "I think the Theater District, Chinatown, this area is a perfect example of options that you can go to in Boston that are beyond beer."
But the job won't be all fun and games. Reynolds will be part of the solution around a problem receiving a lot of recent attention: allegations of safety issues and spiked drinks at Boston bars and clubs. "That will be the number one object to focus on," she said. "It is paramount and it's a non-negotiable...How do we rectify this issue?"
Reynolds' appointment has attracted attention from near and far; even the London, England nightlife czar has reached out with advice, which Reynolds says she's ready to soak in.
"How do I create the different opportunities, different experiences, different interactions, uplift the cultural dynamics of the city, to get folks wanting to be outside with their families, with their friends, with their communities?" she said.
WBZ asked Boston bargoers and restaurant visitors their advice for Reynolds. So far: fix rideshare prices, work on the MBTA, let bars stay open later, and help with affordable parking. She says she's open to any and all suggestions.
