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Boston is looking for a few good residents, business and civic leaders who are serious about making the city more fun.

Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of Nightlife Initiative for a Thriving Economy, or NITE, Committee Thursday. The 21-member body, which still needs appointees, is supposed to take a good look at city regulations and policies covering Boston’s nightlife economy and culture, and come up with recommendations for how to grow it, or reduce obstacles to creating a more vibrant city.

“Boston’s nightlife is an integral part of our city’s identity, and it plays a crucial role in fostering community, driving economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents,” Wu said in a statement. “Through the Nightlife Initiative for a Thriving Economy Committee, we aim to harness the collective wisdom of industry experts and community leaders to create a more vibrant and inclusive nightlife ecosystem that reflects the needs and aspirations of our diverse city.”

Applicants should have experience or perspectives on in the the food and beverage industry, arts and culture, entertainment, public safety, community and compliance, Wu’s office said, and can apply at boston.gov/nightlife through June 23.

“No great city fully goes to sleep at a specific time and we are thrilled to see the City of Boston move forward with the NITE Committee to better serve the multitude of interests that converge downtown and throughout our neighborhoods each evening,” Michael Nichols, president of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District, said in a statement provided by Wu’s office. “From tourists and workers to business owners and residents, we see unmet demands and unrealized opportunities that this effort can address to make Boston more vibrant, productive, equitable, and interesting.”

The committee’s launch comes after Wu appointed former Boston Foundation director of economic inclusion Corean Reynolds as the city’s director of nightlife economy. Wu is the second Boston mayor to try and spice up the city’s infamously sleepy nightlife with staff dedicated to solving the problem. Former Mayor Marty Walsh appointed his own task force whose 2016 report contained a slew of recommendations that got little traction beyond modestly boosting the number of liquor licenses in outlying neighborhoods – an effort that continues to this day as some say the 2017 round of license expansions didn’t do enough to deliver opportunities for minority businesses.

A push for more racial equity in the opportunities her administration creates is expected to be a part of Wu’s efforts to liven up the night.

“Over 10 years ago Future Boston Alliance asked the city to have a culture that reflects its diversity,” Malia Lazu, CEO of The Lazu Group, leader of Future Boston Alliance and a regular op-ed contributor to Banker & Tradesman, said in a statement provided by the mayor’s office. “Residents wanted Boston to be a city that is fun for everybody. The City of Boston has made some strides over the years and I am hopeful that the NITE Committee will help the city move further in this work.”

Wu Seeks Members for New Nightlife Committee

by James Sanna time to read: 2 min
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