City announces new position aiming to revitalize Boston’s nightlife

Chicago-native Corean Reynolds will be Boston’s first director of nightlife economy — tasked with waking up the so-called “city that always sleeps” — the mayor’s office announced.

“We are moving as a Cabinet to ensure that we’re moving our economy forward as we come out of the pandemic,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion, at a press conference announcing the appointment. “One of the ways that we’re seeking to do that is to make sure that we are creating a city that is a 24-hour city, that is a vibrant city.”

Reynolds, a Boston resident since 2014 and “world traveler,” said she is looking to pull from major cities’ successes to foster a robust nightlife economy that is “inclusive, supportive and safe” and provides opportunities equitably across all of Boston’s 23 neighborhoods.

Reynolds most recently worked as the assistant director of economic inclusion at the Boston Foundation, reportedly the youngest person to hold the title, and spearheaded efforts to close the racial wealth gap.

Reynolds will be starting on March 6 and meeting with stakeholders across the city and country to build a support staff for the initiative.

The position goes beyond spreading liquor licenses, Idowu said, looking at nightlife options “holistically” for everyone regardless of alcohol-consumption, age, interests or other factors.

Reynolds noted some initial challenges she’ll be looking at, including late-night transportation — referencing that most of the city’s public transportation stops running at 1 a.m. — safety issues and building up spaces and infrastructure for larger nightlife events.

Idowu referenced the summertime Little Saigon District event in Dorchester as a roadmap for nighttime events, remarking “the huge turnout shows the hunger for more events that are happening at night.”

Some initial focus will be on the downtown area, Idowu noted, referencing the recent Downtown Revitalization Plan’s guidelines for turning downtown into a pilot 24-hour neighborhood.

“Our biggest asset is our people and what the city represents,” Reynolds said. “I just really want to influence that downtown area but also highlight the neighborhoods surrounding to get folks to know what makes Boston so special. I’m really excited to get started soon.”