TRUSTED JOURNALISM AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
JULY 27, 2020 VOL. 56, No. 30
westfaironline.com
Photos courtesy Hyatt Regency.
INSIDE
Bouncing back HYATT REGENCY GREENWICH TAKING ‘METHODICAL APPROACH’ TO REOPENING
PAGE
2
EATERIES RESTART
PAGE
4
BUSINESS DIVERSITY
BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
A
dopt, adapt and improve,” the U.K.’s Prince Edward proclaimed in 1927 — words that a number of business sectors are taking to heart as they try to navigate the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
But perhaps no sector is implementing that directive as much as the nation’s ailing hotel industry. Due to the virus-related sharp drop in travel demand, state and local tax revenue from hotel operations are expected to plunge by $16.8 billion nationwide — Connecticut is forecast to lose $287.1 million — this year, accord-
Frank J. Gaudio
ing to a recent report by Oxford Economics released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers said the group estimates the Covid impact to the travel sector at nine times worse than the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and that it » HYATT
Evan R. Corsello
President & CEO
203.302.4375
Chief Lending Officer
CALL US TODAY
203.302.4003
EXPERT LENDERS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL Port Chester – 914.908.5444 500 Westchester Avenue
NMLS # 510513
DOCTORS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Cos Cob – 203.629.8400 444 E. Putnam Avenue
Stamford – 203.413.6101 900 Summer Street
6
BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA ggouveia@westfairinc.com
H
as medicine become politicized — weaponized even — in America in the age of the coronavirus? With the World Health Organization and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under attack for early missteps; controversy over mask-wearing still raging; and the tense relationship between Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s leading infectious disease expert, and President Donald Trump, medicine would appear to be under siege in the Situation Room and the emergency
room alike. “When did it become acceptable or seemingly the norm to attack the medical community for simply doing our jobs?” plastic surgeon Robert E. Tuchler wrote in a blog post on KevinMD.com, which bills itself as “social media’s leading physician voice.” “I understand that corporations, notably big pharma, and all politicians have inherent biases as profits, constituents and election campaigns influence their agendas.” But, he added, “If our findings and opinions don’t suit partisan, religious or industry needs, we increasingly find ourselves being publicly » DOCTORS
6