Not Just A 9 To 5 Government Town Anymore
Washington, D.C. Mayor Calls For WMATA To Increase Metro Service To Accommodate $7 Billion Nightlife Industry
By Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser
We say it all the time: Washington, DC is a city that has something for everyone – from world-class museums to world-champion sports teams, from playgrounds to monuments, from Michelin-starred restaurants to concert halls and nightclubs. DC is no longer a one-business, government town with a 9-5 schedule. We are a city of innovators, creatives, and change-makers – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are also a growing city, now more than 700,000 residents strong. But it’s not just our population that is growing – so, too, is tourism, our business corridors, and our nightlife and culture industry.
After establishing the Office of Nightlife and Culture in 2018, this week we released a first-of-its-kind report on the state of our nightlife industry. Currently, our city’s nightlife industry is thriving –it's a $7.1 billion industry that supports nearly 65,000 jobs, more than 2,400 businesses, and $562 million in annual tax revenue.
What we know today is that one of the best ways to support nightlife workers from across the region is to return late-night service at Metro. It's simple: We need a Metro that stays open as late as our region.
Reprinted from the newsletter: News From Mayor Muriel Bowser
