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V O L . X X V I I N O. I X M AY 3 , 2 0 2 1 12 H O S P I TA L I T Y / T O U R I S M F O C U S Blood started as an innkeeper on Nantucket. In 2004, he and his girlfriend scoured the Northeast to buy their own inn. ey found the historic Captain Fairfield Inn (now James Fairfield House) in Kennebunkport, moved there, and started renovations. e Fairfield was surrounded by other historic sea captain homes that had been converted to inns. "Pretty early on, I thought it would be amazing one day if we could put all the captains' houses in the neighborhood into one collection," Blood says. In 2020, he made that a reality when he bought two neighboring properties containing three buildings, and created a single "boutique village resort" of four inns, launched this year as the Kennebunkport Captains Collection. e idea is that guests will be able to move among the properties to enjoy the amenities at each. "It seemed like a natural synergy and a way to make sure they were preserved as lodging properties," says Blood. "We had seen other inns sell as private homes. It seemed a shame that they came out of the inventory and the public didn't have access to them." Total investment in the acquisitions and renovations was about $25 million. Limits to expansion Gilliam, the town's director of planning and development, notes that property refreshes and rebranding are nothing new. "But a lot of these properties have a certain draw and charm to them just as they are," he says. "While we see new owners come in and freshen up a place, they don't tend to stray too much off what it was historically." Can the lodging sector grow? "ere are areas in town where lodg- ing could expand," says Gilliam. "But I think that, in areas where folks want to be, there are limits. ere's not a lot of vacant land in the downtown where new lodging could occur. Most, if not all, of the B&Bs are grandfathered uses and, to some extent, there's a limited supply. Some people like that and others don't. I think it creates a special value around the ones that are here." Expanding demographic Historically, Massachusetts has deliv- ered the biggest share of visitors to Kennebunkport. But visitor numbers are expanding from states like New York and Connecticut. "We've also seen growth from Texas and California, where people come to Maine to escape the heat, particularly in June and the fall," says Justin Grimes, Kennebunkport Resort Collection's managing director. As importantly, he says, more people seem to be returning, bring- ing along family and friends and staying longer. Kennebunkport was plenty busy 10 years ago, notes Grimes. But more lodging, dining, shopping and recreation options have come about over that time. "More and more people are choosing Kennebunkport as a pri- mary destination or as one destina- tion on a multi-destination trip," he says. Harrington and Lennon are widely credited with helping to raise the town's visitor profile through the Kennebunkport Resort Collection, which many simply call "KRC." "Groups like KRC have helped elevate the community: they market the properties and the destination," says Laura Dolce, executive director of the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport- Arundel Chamber of Commerce. "When that happens, when you see the story of Kennebunkport being told internationally, you'll see people coming and that will benefit every business in the community." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz One event. Three days of answers. May 10, 12, and 14 Single day passes available. MaineHRConvention.com COVID-19 Diversity & Inclusion Culture Performance Management Values Recruitment Compensation Benefits Compliance Safety Strategy & much much more S PONS OR ED BY Changed Everything The Day that I N S P I R I N G S T O R I E S O F R E C OV E RY A N D I N N OVAT I O N MAINEBIZ.BIZ/PODCASTS LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TODAY! podcasts R E C E N T 2 0 2 1 E P I S O D E S Dajan Eubanks, Maine Red Claws: How does a winning team recently acquired by a national franchise face shutting down its entire season? E P I S O D E 2 0 Rachel Jackson, Farmington Diner: How does the purchase of a vacant diner create an unexpected career for a serial entrepreneur? E P I S O D E 2 1 Steve Tenney, Great Diamond Partners: What is it like to leave a career at an international investment bank to start an independent wealth management firm? E P I S O D E 2 2 Sometimes a negative experience can be turned into positive opportunities. Hear how Maine business leaders weathered stormy times and found long-term success. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E More and more people are choosing Kennebunkport as a primary destination. — Justin Grimes Kennebunkport Resort Collection

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