Meet Curtis
Curtis Bashaw is a hotel entrepreneur, job creator, and preservationist. He’s running for United States Senate to provide greater freedom and opportunities for all New Jerseyans.
A lifelong New Jersey resident, Curtis grew up in Camden County and spent his summers at the Jersey Shore working as a bellhop and waiting tables at Congress Hall in Cape May. He has spent his life in the real estate and hospitality industries, and is the Founder and Managing Partner of Cape Resorts, a hotel company focusing on the restoration and operation of classic American resort properties in New Jersey and New York.
Throughout his career, Curtis has worked to build communities and bring people together. He is widely recognized for leading the landmark restorations of Congress Hall and the Virginia Hotel in Cape May, and for launching creative programming to dramatically extend Cape May’s season, a catalyst for the economic rebirth of one of the Jersey Shore’s most beautiful communities.
With an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Curtis is a successful businessman and job creator, employing more than 1,000 people in New Jersey and New York. Curtis’ company owns and operates eight hotels, ten cottages, six restaurants, four retail outlets and a working farm, all on the Jersey Shore and Long Island’s East End.
During the COVID pandemic, Curtis was a vocal advocate for the survival of small businesses suffering from the statewide shutdowns. As a founder of the Cape May County-Wide Recovery Initiative, Curtis worked alongside county government leaders and other business owners to design a blueprint for small businesses, restaurants, and hotels to safely re-open and re-start the region’s economy. Bashaw was also appointed to the state’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council where he was able to leverage the widely heralded Cape May County plan as a critical tool in the States reopening.
Curtis understands that public service means putting taxpayers first. He has served as the Executive Director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, overseeing the investment of gaming tax revenues in economic development projects statewide. Working with elected officials and members of the community, Curtis oversaw numerous projects that benefited New Jersey’s economy.
Curtis is active member of his community and a recognized leader on issues of tourism and economic development. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the New York Academy of Art. He has served on the Board of Trustees for Stockton University, including a term as chair; on the Cape May County Planning Board; the NJ Governor’s Tourism Advisory Council; the board of Cape May Stage; the NJ First Legislative District Economic Development Task Force; and as a Trustee of the NJ Cultural Trust.
Curtis has earned many accolades from various New Jersey organizations, in areas ranging from historic preservation to education and community leadership. These awards include Outstanding Leadership Award for Historic Preservation from Jersey Shore Partnership, Sarah P. Fiske Preservation Award from Preservation NJ, Business and Education Partnership Award from Cape May County and Greater Cape May Chambers of Commerce, Distinguished Citizen Award from the Southern NJ Council of Boy Scouts of America, and the Gold Plate Award from the NJ Restaurant & Hospitality Association, among others.
In addition to his degree from Wharton, Curtis has a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Wheaton College in Illinois. Curtis lives in Cape May with his husband, Will.