“Yikes,” Corrao added, laughing.
Of course, big events are a routine that Gillette’s adjacent restaurants and dive bars know all too well, as Patriots games and concerts regularly fill the 65,000-seat venue. (And they’re even used to Swift, who has made ten appearances at the stadium since her headline debut there in 2010.) But what makes Swift’s spectacle so special will be the droves of out-of-towners eager to see the star, wherever You might manage to snag a ticket, said Dave O’Donnell, vice president of strategic communications at Meet Boston, the city’s tourism department.
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“Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is unprecedented in terms of the economic impact a Gillette concert will have on the Boston area,” O’Donnell said in a statement.
Not only does this mean a boom in hotel stays — both Gillette-approved properties, the Renaissance and the Hilton Garden Inn, appear to be fully booked this weekend — but also high spending on transportation, parking, food and drink, and other tourism activities. A 2019 Oxford Economics study found that if an out-of-town concert-goer spent $100 on a ticket, it would generate an additional $334.92 in spending for the local economy, “and I suspect that number multiplies when you look at Taylor Swift,” said John Simson, program director for the business and entertainment program at American University’s Kogod School of Business.
Both Gillette-approved hotels, the Renaissance pictured here and the Hilton Garden Inn, appear to be fully booked for the weekend Taylor Swift brings her record-breaking Eras Tour to the stadium.handouts
“When you have these legions of fans who are basically willing to travel, it just creates this amazing economic music tourism at a much higher level,” Simson said. “It’s remarkable — everywhere she goes, the city becomes ‘Taylor’s Town.'”
Because Gillette is in the suburbs, Boston may not necessarily benefit from the same spending increases as, say, Nashville, where Swift performed in the city proper, Simson said. However, many Foxborough bars and restaurants are developing a range of concepts “to become part of this ‘Swiftonomics,'” said Morgan Milardo, executive director of the Berklee Popular Music Institute.
Citizen Crust and Tavolino, two sit-down spots on Patriot Place, look set to be serving Swift cocktails all weekend. A Swift-centric Tailgate event is on the schedule at Wormtown Brewery. Six String Grill & Stage throws parties in honor of the Eras Tour every night the singer is in town. The music bar and restaurant is partnering with hard-seltzer brand White Claw and radio station Country 102.5 to offer photo ops, giveaways and a DJ, said Maddi Curtis Brown, marketing and events manager.
Additionally, the venue, known for its Taylor Swift-style brunches year-round, “will keep it simple, if only for the crowds we’re expecting,” said Curtis Brown.
“I mean, the managers are definitely in my thoughts and prayers,” she said.
At Cupcake Charlie’s, as is tradition when a big gig comes to town, the store conjures up special batches of their sugary treats with an edible image of the artist on the candy. Manager Katie Miranda reckons sales will “at least triple” compared to a normal weekend, and as far as staffing is concerned, “all hands are on deck”.
“The traffic flow at a Taylor Swift concert is crazy. We’ll probably have a line out the door from three o’clock until seven or eight o’clock, when it’s time to go to the concert,” she said.
Staff are excited, Miranda said, and expect the adrenaline to keep them going, but one thing is certain: “It’s going to be a long three days,” she said.
Dana Gerber can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @danagerber6.
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