Wareham Police Warn of SWAT Training Event at Starlight Motel

Wareham Police are giving residents a heads up about some SWAT activity that will be taking place in town on Wednesday.

According to a Wareham Police Facebook post that was posted at 7:34 p.m. Tuesday, the department is teaming up with the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) for a training event on Wednesday.

The training will take place at the Starlight Motel property located at 3102 Cranberry Highway.

“A large number of police and SWAT vehicles will be seen in the area,” police posted. “THIS IS ONLY A TRAINING EVENT. There is no cause for concern.”

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The Starlight Motel has been closed for some time now, as plans are underway for its demolition to accommodate a 150-unit housing complex being built on the corner of the Cranberry Highway and Red Brook Road.

The motel had become de facto apartments for much of the past few decades, with long-term residents taking up occupancy despite an attempt in 2015 by the Wareham Board of Health to put a cap on motel stays at three weeks.

The homeless situation at the Starlight Motel was spotlighted in a 2016 feature story for Al Jazeera by former Wareham Week reporter Carolyn Bick.

The Demolition of Wareham's Lobster Bowl Restaurant

Wareham's Lobster Bowl restaurant served the community for 46 years, from 1954 until 2000. In 2001, the 99 Restaurant moved in before opting to go across town in 2016. Having sat empty for six years, the iconic building has been demolished to make way for a new car wash.