A year after the pandemic threw New York into turmoil, THE CITY is examining the shaken-up jobs market — including the varying impact on different sectors and evolving predictions of what’s to come.
The Muse Hotel in Times Square tried with very little success to navigate the coronavirus pandemic. It closed when the economy paused last year, reopened three months later and shut its doors again on Jan. 3.
“We just weren’t able to grow the business,” said Matt Hurlburt, the general manager. “We were averaging 20% occupancy with average room rates 40% of what they would normally be.”
But now the hotel is scheduled to reopen on March 24 just as Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifts COVID-19 quarantine rules on all domestic travelers. And Hurlburt is optimistic that tourism is about to begin its comeback.