The idea of building a convention center in Plymouth may sound good in theory to some people, but in practice it has attracted no interest from hotel owners or developers.
Buoyed by a state-funded feasibility study that found the Plymouth area is a viable location for a mid-size convention center, See Plymouth and the Plymouth Foundation issued a public RFI (request for information) in October to developers and companies interested in pursuing such a project.
Responses to that RFI from the tourism and economic development organizations were due at the end of November, with the plan to engage interested parties in talks early in 2025. But no one responded. No one even reached out during the question period seeking more information.
“The study showed there is a market here, but without any property owners or interested parties stepping forward, we are not going to pursue it at this time,” said Stephen Cole, executive director of the foundation.
Lea Filson, president and CEO of See Plymouth, still considers the project a priority. She is working to form a state-sanctioned Tourism Destination Marketing District for the region, which requires membership of at least 60 percent of the hotels in the proposed district. That process could build stronger relationships with the local hotel industry and prompt more interest in a convention center, Filson said.
“I also think a firm commitment of support from the town would help,” Filson added.
Conducted by the consulting firm CSL – which specializes in evaluating sites and planning facilities for sports, entertainment, and hospitality and leisure industries – the study found a Plymouth convention center could attract both national and regional events.
But support for such a complex, which would likely require public funding for infrastructure improvements, is mixed among town officials.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a top priority,” said Kevin Canty, vice chair of the Select Board. “It could be nice to have, but it’s not a necessity.”
Canty said economic development is crucial, but the future of the 1,600 acres now owned by Holtec is far more consequential for the town to focus its resources on. And when it comes to promoting growth, he would prefer the town back projects that bring higher-paying jobs than what are typically generated by tourism-related industries.
“We need to develop our commercial base, so why not do it with jobs that benefit our residents more?” he said.
That view is shared by Steven Bolotin, chair of the Planning Board and Master Plan Committee, who told the Independent last year that if public money is to be invested somewhere, the community should consider supporting other economic sectors, like health care or industrial/manufacturing, which create better jobs than tourism and hospitality positions.
Select Board member David Golden likes the idea of a convention center. Earlier in his career, Golden worked in higher education and helped organize an annual regional meeting of higher education administrators that typically attracted 500 to 600 attendees.
“I always wished there was somewhere on the South Shore that could accommodate us,” Golden said. “I think a convention center here would be a homerun. And I’d like to see it elevated in terms of our priorities. We do have a number of goals, but we can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
Select Board member Charlie Bletzer also supports a convention center. He said it would be “the biggest economic development generator to hit the town in my career. The question is, where do you put it?”
The CSL study evaluated eight potential locations and ranked the Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor site on the waterfront as the top site, with Cordage Park second and the Kingston Collection third. But Bletzer said a better alternative could be the Plymouth County “wood lot” off Long Pond Road, which the county has leased to Boston South Real Estate and Development Group to explore commercial projects that focus on sports and recreational uses. But access roads to the site would need be improved to handle traffic, he said.
Dominic Amenta, a spokesperson for Boston South, said in an email that a hotel and convention center have not yet been considered for the wood lot development, but “if the town and the county feel [a hotel and convention center] are viable options, we encourage them to revisit the study and include our site to be feasible.”
Michael Cohen can be reached at michael@plymouthindependent.org.