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Tourism & Recreation

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Feds award $2.5M to BigRock Mountain for new chairlift

Laurie Schreiber August 18, 2022

The existing lift is over 50 years old. The new lift will feature technology such as a touchscreen interface that eases system operations and maintenance. 

  • Builder pitches $17.5M Portland waterfront hotel

    October 24, 2012

    Developer J.B.

    October 24, 2012

  • New Wiscasset Raceway owner revs up

    October 23, 2012

    The Wiscasset Raceway is set to reopen this weekend after being auctioned for $130,000 in July.

    October 23, 2012

  • Oxford Plains Speedway to be sold

    October 15, 2012

    The Oxford Plains Speedway is under contract to change hands, with the prospective owner expressing confidence he can rejuvenate the popular car racing speedway that has battled a sluggish economy in recent years.

    October 15, 2012

  • Lodging sales up 7.4% over last summer

    October 15, 2012

    Lodging and restaurant sales surpassed expectations this year, according to state data.

    October 15, 2012

  • Cumberland civic center sets ticket sales record

    October 11, 2012

    The Cumberland County Civic Center has sold over 22,000 tickets for the Maine premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Saltimbanco," breaking sales records for the 35-year-old facility.

    October 11, 2012

  • Maine yacht-makers seek boost from Chinese press

    October 4, 2012

    Maine boatyards are hoping for good press in China after a visit by representatives from China's leading boating magazines.

    October 4, 2012

  • Miyake's design draws accolades

    Matt Dodge October 2, 2012

    A local architecture firm's work at one of Portland's landmark restaurants has given it a facelift worthy of its acclaimed Japanese cuisine and — its owners hope — a shot at a major culinary award.

    Matt Dodge October 2, 2012

  • USM, SMCC link tourism degree programs

    September 19, 2012

    A new agreement between the University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Community College offers students a new path to a four-year degree in one of the state's top industry: hospitality and tourism.

    September 19, 2012

  • N.S. officials redouble mill restart efforts

    September 18, 2012

    Despite setbacks, a deal with Nova Scotia officials to reopen the former NewPage paper mill in Port Hawkesbury still has support from the province's minister of natural resources, according to the

    September 18, 2012

  • Oxford casino seeks expansion

    September 18, 2012

    The Maine gambling board is scheduled today to consider an expansion for the Oxford Casino, which opened earlier this summer.

    September 18, 2012

  • Bar Harbor left out of Canadian ferry talks

    September 13, 2012

    Bar Harbor officials are chagrined that their port is being left out of discussions over bringing back a ferry service between Nova Scotia and Maine.

    September 13, 2012

  • Study: 2011 cruise ship spending up $9M in Maine

    September 12, 2012

    Cruise ship spending for 2011 was up $9 million in Maine, according to an industry report released last week.

    September 12, 2012

  • Study renews interest in Nova Scotia ferry to Maine

    September 10, 2012

    Ferry service between Nova Scotia and Portland, which stopped in 2009, is back on the table for leaders of the Canadian province.

    September 10, 2012

  • Portland's megaberth hosts first ship of season

    September 10, 2012

    The first ship of the season to dock at Portland's $6 million megaberth – the city's largest dock, which was

    September 10, 2012

  • Summer lodging, restaurant sales see uptick

    September 4, 2012

    According to numbers from Maine's tourism industry, the state saw a slight uptick in traveler volume through the York toll plaza and a bump in lodging and restaurant sales.

    September 4, 2012

  • New 124-room Old Port hotel pitched

    September 3, 2012

    A new $13 million Old Port hotel proposed for the corner of Union and Fore streets will go before city officials in the coming weeks as observers raise questions about how many hotels the city can support.

    September 3, 2012

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Today's Poll

Does cruise ship season help your business?
Poll Description

Sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank

Maine's cruise ship season is in full swing, running from late September through early November. Thousands of passengers are expected to visit Portland, Bar Harbor, Eastport or Rockland.

This week alone, Portland is set to welcome around 16,000 cruise ship passengers.

But as the season ramps up, it's bringing mixed reviews. Some locals brace for the crowds and many business owners say cruise ship visitors don't spend much while in the port. Other business owners argue that, even if cruise ships don't benefit their own coffers, they still benefit the overall economy.

When we asked this question in 2023, Mainebiz respondents, 21% said the visits bring customers and revenue, while only 18% said the visits don't help their business.

More than half of the respondents, 53%, said cruise ships benefit the overall economy.

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