Peter Anastos, the co-founder and owner of Maine Course Hospitality Group, at the company’s office in Freeport. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald
Decades after they met while baking Twinkies at a Massachusetts factory, Peter Anastos and Paul Lohnes have built something of a hospitality empire in New England.
Their company, Maine Course Hospitality Group, owns and manages nearly two dozen hotels in the region (plus a couple in Florida and North Carolina). Most are Hilton and Marriott franchises, including Courtyards near the Portland International Jetport and in the Old Port, as well as Hampton Inns in Waterville, Augusta, Bath, Freeport and Thomaston.
Now, Anastos and Lohnes are launching their own hotel brand in the hope that it will spread across the country.
Called HomeAwhile, the concept is to provide apartment-style rooms that combine the best features of Airbnbs – welcoming spaces with kitchens and sometimes laundry machines – and hotels that offer housekeeping, on-site staff and a more predictable overall experience.
“We’re trying to build something that’s a little better, a little nicer, at an affordable price,” said Anastos, 76, who lives in Yarmouth.
The first HomeAwhile is under construction on Payne Road in Scarborough and is set to open in 2026, with 109 rooms. Though it is billed as an extended-stay hotel for long vacations or business trips, the minimum stay is one night.
“It will be more like an apartment than a hotel, with services available à la carte,” said Jonathan Bogatay, company president. “If you want housekeeping services, we can provide them. If you don’t, you can be on your own.”
A rendering of an apartment-style room in the HomeAwhile hotel being built in Scarborough near The Maine Mall. Courtesy of Maine Course Hospitality Group
The so-called aparthotel model has been trending in overseas cities like London and is gaining traction in the U.S. During the last year, Marriott International opened an aparthotel in Puerto Rico and announced plans to develop several similar properties in the Midwest.
Maine Course hopes HomeAwhile can seize on the interest by targeting travelers with low- to mid-range budgets. That’s also why the company’s leaders believe the Scarborough location can succeed at a time when hotels are multiplying in Greater Portland.
“People are looking for comfort and affordability,” said Bogatay, 60, who recently joined the company after leading a Wisconsin-based chain. “We want to get both of those right.”
Son of a baker, Anastos has lived in Maine since the 1980s. He left the Hostess factory to paint and renovate houses in Massachusetts, then moved north to invest in and eventually acquire the Muddy Rudder Restaurant and the Freeport Inn, both Route 1 tourist landmarks.
By the 1990s, he owned seven Ground Rounds, including restaurants in Portland, Auburn and Bangor, and he had formed the Maine Course partnership with Lohnes, who had become a rising real estate developer in the Boston area.
Anastos and Lohnes sold their restaurants and initial hotel properties in the early 2000s – including the Muddy Rudder and Freeport Inn – to build franchises under the banners of major chains. Anastos was later appointed to the Maine Housing Authority board in 2011 by former Gov. Paul LePage. He ruffled feathers by criticizing the agency’s spending decisions and pushing it to consider the per-unit cost when funding affordable housing projects.
In launching its latest HomeAwhile venture, the group said it will save money upfront by using its regular general contractor and project partner, Mark Woglom of Opechee Construction Corp., in Belmont, New Hampshire, who has built several chain hotels and knows where improvements can be made.
Maine Course also will save money because it won’t have to pay a franchise fee to Marriott or Hilton, which adds as much as 12% to monthly costs. The overall savings will allow the company to charge $115 to $125 per night instead of $160 or more.
Kevin Pagnano, corporate director of operations and Jonathan Bogatay, president of Maine Course Hospitality Group at the site where the group is building its 26th hotel, an unusual long-term stay property that may serve as a model for a national chain. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
Lee Speronis, professor and director of the School of Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management at Husson University, said he believes it will succeed as a practical and affordable answer to Airbnb and other online rental options.
“Maine Course has a proven track record,” said Speronis, who is also chair of the Maine Tourism Association and a Hospitality Maine board member. “They give their employees opportunities to succeed and they’ve had great success as a company that way. If you work hard, you can move up.”
The company also tries to give young people a reason to stay in Maine, he said. It provides internship opportunities for hospitality students at Husson and other schools and often hires them after graduation for management positions. CEO Sean Riley produces a podcast with Southern Maine Community College students to highlight how industry leaders built their careers.
The company’s executives say prioritizing employee satisfaction alongside guests’ needs is one of the key reasons the company has grown slowly and steadily since its founding nearly 40 years ago.
Riley, a former teacher who joined the company in 1992 as general manager of the Freeport Inn, still makes a point of connecting with staff members at all levels, even now that the company has 800 associates, including 70 salaried managers. He writes 50 to 70 birthday cards each month that are sent to employees and he calls each hotel every Thanksgiving and Christmas to thank the managers for working on the holiday.
“It’s a simple thing, but it shows we care,” said Riley, 68. “We believe if we take care of our people, then they will take care of our guests.”
Sean Riley, the CEO of Maine Course Hospitality Group, started working for the company in 1992 as a general manager of the Freeport Inn. Before that, he was a teacher. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald
On a more concrete level, Maine Course pays competitive wages in a tight labor market and provides health benefits, paid time off, a company-matched retirement savings program and a pathway for advancement, he said.
Kevin Pagnano experienced the Maine Course approach when he was hired in 2008 to run the Courtyard Marriott in Bangor. He had worked for Marriott International for 17 years, including at hotels in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Jacksonville, Florida.
Pagnano grew up in Maine and wanted to move back here to raise his family. He had heard about Maine Course and thought he could help the company expand. Meeting Riley was memorable.
“Our interview was about 10 minutes of work talk and the rest was about who we were as people,” Pagnano recalled. “He wanted to know who I was.”
Since 2010, Pagnano has been a corporate director of operations, overseeing direct sales and revenue management strategies for growth. But his work remains grounded in his customer service experience, starting in 1988 as a bellman at what is today the Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks near The Maine Mall.
That’s where he got his first hands-on lessons in how to lead a hospitality team. Fresh out of SMCC’s hospitality program, he remembers watching the general manager clearing snow from guests’ cars early one morning.
“I watched him for a while, then I thought, maybe I should be out there doing that,” Pagnano said. “He never asked me. He just set the example.”
Now, Pagnano, 57, is a leader in a work culture that recognizes its employees have challenging lives. It means accommodating reasonable flex time for family needs and personal crises, he said, and holding baby showers and graduation parties to celebrate individual accomplishments.
“It’s how we build teams, but it’s also the right way to treat people,” Pagnano said. “I had a boss once who told me, ‘Never forget you could be the best part of someone’s day.’ That includes our employees.”
At the same time, he said, Maine Course has high-performance standards, especially when it comes to addressing guests’ concerns.
“We tell our teams that every problem has a solution,” Pagnano said. “If you don’t know how to solve it, find someone who does.”
Summertime means packed touring schedules for bands of many musical genres, and plenty of them are making stops in Maine. From ’90s alternative darlings The Breeders to legends like Joe Jackson and Barry Manilow, along with Maine acts 12/OC and The Ghost of Paul Revere, there are many ways to make this a live music summer to remember.
Here are 19 shows to consider between now and early September at some of Maine’s biggest indoor and outdoor venues.
6 p.m. June 16. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $63.75-$159.75. waterfrontconcerts.com.
One of the biggest events of the summer of 2013 was Mumford & Sons bringing their “Gentlemen of the Road Stopover” festival to Portland’s Eastern Prom. This summer, the band will be performing in Bangor, in support of its sixth album “Prizefighter.” Dylan Gossett opens.
8 p.m. June 18. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $49.50 in advance, $55 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.
Alternative rock darlings The Breeders is sisters Kim and Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim MacPherson. Since 1990, the band has released five albums and gone through several hiatuses while members were involved with other projects. Most notable is their 1993 release “Last Splash,” home to quintessential ’90s tune “Cannonball.”
7:30 p.m. June 20. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $85.25-$223.95. waterfrontconcerts.com.
Jelly Roll is the professional name of Jason Bradley DeFord. Popular songs by the country, rock and hip-hop singer-songwriter include “Need a Favor” and “Son of a Sinner.” Jelly Roll won a 2024 Best Contemporary County Album Grammy for “Beautifully Broken.” His Little Ass Shed Tour pulls into Bangor with blues, country, rock and folk artist Kashus Culpepper opening the show.
7 p.m. June 21. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $62 in advance, $70 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.
Chicago-based rock band Wilco has played in Maine many times through the decades, and the next show is an outdoor one. Fronted by Jeff Tweedy, Wilco also features bassist John Stirratt, who owns a home in the Midcoast. With 13 albums of material to choose from, the show should satisfy new fans and longtime ones.
7 p.m. July 3. Cross Insurance Arena, Portland, $77-$385. crossarenaportland.com.
Pop singer Barry Manilow’s final concert in Portland is one of the crown jewels of the summer, after being rescheduled from April 19 because Manilow was ill. With classic songs like “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” “Can’t Smile Without You” and “Copacabana (At the Copa),” the legacy artist will likely draw a huge crowd as he takes his final bow in Maine.
8 p.m. July 11. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $55.50-$99.50. statetheatreportland.com.
British singer, songwriter and pianist Joe Jackson released the album “Hope and Fury,” his 20th, in April. The Grammy winner’s discography dates back to the 1979 debut album “Look Sharp!,” home to Jackson staples “Sunday Papers,” “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” and “Fools in Love.” His piano chops are as impressive as his vocals, so you expect a first-rate show from Jackson and his band.
6 p.m. July 11. The Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, 1 Geranium Lane, Sidney, $70-$153. snowpond.org.
Alison Krauss & Union Station have been in the forefront of bluegrass and roots music for more than 40 years. With a show that will include songs from their latest album, “Arcadia,” you can look forward to a fantastic performance from the multiple Grammy winners. The band includes Krauss (fiddle, vocals), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals) and Russell Moore (guitar, mandolin, vocals). Theo Lawrence opens the show.
6:30 p.m. July 18. The Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, 1 Geranium Lane, Sidney, $27.76. snowpond.org.
This on-the-rise Maine country band was founded by Portland brothers Will and Reid Nichols, who started playing gigs when they were 10 and 13. 12 O/C has been building a loyal following in Maine for several years and moved to Nashville about two years ago. The show is a benefit for the Travis Mills Foundation, with Kelsey Hart opening.
7:30 p.m. July 19. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $56.75-$213.45. waterfrontconcerts.com.
No one writes and sings pop parodies quite like Weird Al Yankovic. The Grammy winner has been at it for more than 45 years, and has sold more than 12 million albums. Hits include parodies of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” (“Eat It”) in 1984, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” (“Like a Surgeon”) in 1985 and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (“Smells Like Nirvana”) in 1992. Yankovic’s “Bigger & Weirder” show will kick off with Puddles Pity Party, a sad clown character who sings covers.
6:30 p.m. July 21. The Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Sidney, $63.43-$120.06. snowpond.org.
For a summer night full of rock, funk, soul, jazz, blues, hip-hop and Caribbean-influenced music, head to Sidney for Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Shorty is the pride of New Orleans and his shows are both celebratory and musically tremendous. JJ Grey & Mofro will open the show.
6:45 p.m. July 23. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $35-$233.50. waterfrontconcerts.com.
Relive the heyday of ’80s pop music with a trio of acts who know how to pack a Top 40 punch. Toto will have you scream-singing along to “Africa,” Christopher Cross will remind you that the canvas can do miracles with “Sailing,” and the Romantics will have you jumping up and down with “What I Like About You.” All three have multiple hits, so plan on a highly entertaining and nostalgic night of music.
7:30 p.m. Aug. 1. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, $75-$110. porttix.com.
Herbie Hancock, 86, has been a huge presence in modern jazz, funk, electronic music, rock and other genres for his entire career. It’s no wonder he’s won 14 Grammys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. You may recall Hancock’s 1983 instrumental hit “Rockit,” and his 2007 release “River: The Joni Letters” with its lush piano interpretations of Joni Mitchell’s songs like “Both Sides Now” and “Sweet Bird.”
4 p.m. Aug. 8 & 9. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $70, $40 kids, $130 adult two-day pass, $30 kids two-day pass. statetheatreportland.com.
This will be the eighth year that the rock band Guster, featuring Cape Elizabeth singer and guitarist Adam Gardner, has made Portland the home of its summer festival. The Merrill Auditorium show on Aug. 7 with the Portland Symphony Orchestra is long sold out, but there are still tickets to two big outdoor shows at Thompson’s Point. The lineup features Iron & Wine, Watchhouse, The Barr Brothers, Neal Francis, Eggy, Dave Butler & Friends, Bebe Stockwell, Khatumu and Cilla Bonnie.
7:30 p.m. Aug. 11. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $44.50-$181.50. waterfrontconcerts.com.
British rocker Billy Idol will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with the ceremony taking place in Los Angeles in November. Before that happens, he’ll be on a huge tour that includes a show in Bangor. Sing along with hits like “White Wedding,” “Eyes Without a Face,” “Dancing With Myself” and “Rebel Yell,” among others.
7 p.m. Aug. 13. Cross Insurance Arena, Portland, $85-$497. crossarenaportland.com.
Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile’s latest record is “Returning To Myself.” The Human Tour, named for its second track, swings through Portland in August. Since 2005, Carlile has released nine studio albums, including a collaboration with Elton John, and has won 11 Grammy Awards. Some of Carlile’s best known songs include “The Story,” “Hold Out Your Hand” and “The Joke.”
7 p.m. Aug. 25. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $53 in advance, $61 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.
Indigo Girls is the folk duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, known for their vocal harmonies, songwriting and musicianship. The show will feature sing-alongs of Indigo Girls’ signature songs like “Closer to Fine,” “Galileo” and if we’re lucky, “Kid Fears.”
7 p.m. Sept. 6. Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad St., Bangor, $65.20-$304.70. waterfrontconcerts.com.
Texas rock band ZZ Top’s hits include “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” The band continues to play righteous shows after losing original Dusty Hill, bassist, in 2021. “The Big One!” tour features opening act George Thorogood & The Destroyers. Be ready to belt out “Bad to the Bone.” B-b-b-bad!
5 p.m. Sept. 6. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $55 in advance, $65 day of show, free for kids 3 and under. statetheatreportland.com.
Take part in a festival that’s a reunion for one of Maine’s best-loved bands. The Ghost of Paul Revere, started by childhood friends Griffin William Sherry, Sean McCarthy and Max Davis from Buxton and Hollis, were together for more than a decade and toured nationally before breaking up in 2022. The band hosted its own annual festival, Ghostland, usually at Thompson’s Point. They’ll play this year’s Thompson’s Point show with Futurebirds, Weakened Friends and Mikaela Davis.
7 p.m. Sept. 9. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $75 in advance, $85 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.
With a devoted following, dance-punk act LCD Soundsystem is led by James Murphy. Popular tracks include “Dance Yrself Clean” and “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House.” They called it quits in 2011, then rebooted in 2016. They’ve released five albums, starting with their breakthrough self-titled 2005 release.
This story was originally published by the Maine Trust for Local News. Aimsel Ponti can be reached at aponti@pressherald.com.
PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) — While the statewide moratorium on data center development was vetoed by Governor Mills, local communities across the state are now taking matters into their own hands, with some passing their own pauses.
At least four southern Maine cities and towns, including Scarborough, Sanford, and Westbrook have all implemented local data center moratoriums in recent weeks.
It comes as new polling show most Mainers opposed the construction of these facilities.
That poll, conducted by UMass Lowell and released last week, shows 72% of Mainers don’t want a data center built in their community, including 51% who strongly opposed it.
Just 28% said they would support that type of development.
The results mirror what’s being seen across the country.
According to a poll released Friday by Reuters, only 14% of Americans said they felt comfortable with a data center being built nearby.
77% said they worried AI-driven data centers would raise their electricity costs.
Those are concerns lawmakers here in Maine say cross the political spectrum.
“Red states, blue states, purple states are having this conversation, and people just want to have some answers about what this technology means, what this development opportunity means,” Rep. Melanie Sachs said.
Maine currently has a data center advisory council studying the potential impact large-scale data center development could have on the state’s energy grid and resources.
They’re expected to release a final report in January.
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