The economic impact of a new Marriott hotel, the CapeFLYER train's stop in Wareham this summer, and efforts to bring year-round commuter rail service to town were on the minds of businesspeople gathered Thursday for the second annual Business to Business Expo at the Bay Pointe Club.

Thomas Cahir, administrator for the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority and a driving force behind establishment of the seasonal Boston-to-Hyannis CapeFLYER train service, spoke optimistically of Wareham-to-Boston commuter rail.

It "can happen within a couple of years," he said. Referring to the platform currently under construction on Merchants Way in downtown Wareham to serve this summer's CapeFLYER stop, Cahir said "the possibility for commuter rail" is "why the state has decided to build a nice platform in Wareham."

That platform was not completed in time for CapeFLYER's Memorial Day weekend start of service, but Cahir said it would be only a "couple of weeks" before it would be ready and the train would stop in town on its Friday, Saturday and Sunday trips between Boston and the Cape.

Marie Oliva, president and CEO of the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce, was similarly optimistic about commuter rail. It has "the big mo," she said -- momentum that will "make sure we get commuter rail for Wareham and Bourne."

Jointly sponsored by the Chamber, the Wareham Community and Economic Development Authority, and Eastern Bank, this year's expo was designed to showcase developments that have occurred within the past year.

One of the most visible developments has been the beginning of construction on a 90-room Marriott Hotel in Rosebrook Place at the intersection of Routes 195 and 28. Christian LaFrance of LaFrance Hospitality Company, which will own and operate the hotel, was on hand Thursday to talk about the hotel and his family's company.

LaFrance Hospitality is, he stressed, a family company -- and focused on its local communities.

With its roots in White's of Westport, LaFrance now operates five restaurants and eight nationally branded hotels, but key posts are still occupied by family members. He joked that, as he was getting ready to come to Wareham, his 92-year-old grandmother was giving him instructions on what to do.

Using the company's New Bedford Marriott as an example of what the new hotel can do for Wareham, LaFrance said 75 percent of the New Bedford Marriott employees live in that city and most of the top managers are New Bedford natives.

He estimated that, in its first year of operation, the hotel will bring 27,000 new visitors to Wareham who will spend an average of $165 a night -- $65 of that at businesses outside of the hotel.

Current plans are for a May 2015 Marriott opening. But, LaFrance said, the hotel "might be open a little early."

Also speaking was Paul Cripps, executive director of the Plymouth County Development Council. Spearheading the effort to promote Plymouth County tourism around the country and around the world, he noted: "I started my career in tourism as a Pilgrim at Plimoth Plantation."

Cripps said the hotel was "the flag that will rally the (tourist) industry here." Together with CapeFLYER, the Marriott will make Wareham "a destination," he said.

Train matters dominated a question-and-answer period.

Asked whether downtown Wareham was the right spot for a commuter rail station, both Cahir and Selectman Alan Slavin agreed that a better location would be in West Wareham. Naming no specific parcel, they noted that more land is available for parking in that area of town and it would be more accessible to potential riders from neighboring communities such as Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester.

Another attendee asked about the possibility of structuring the CapeFLYER schedule to allow Wareham residents to make day trips to Boston by train.

"Good question," Cahir replied. "We get that a lot: Why don't we send trains the other way?"

It won't happen this year, he said, but "might be more seriously considered" for next year.