Boston aims to be fifth largest convention city in US
As part of a plan to become a much bigger player in the meetings market, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, already the largest building of its kind in New England, would double in size under an expansion plan.
The blueprint calls for a 400,000-square-foot exhibit hall behind the main center, a 1,000-room hotel, a 5,000-seat auditorium and a 65,000 to 75,000-square-foot ballroom.
But already some major hurdles have emerged to a year-long plan to expand meeting capabilities, says The Boston Globe.
“The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority does not own much of the adjoining land on which it plans to build, nor have state officials determined how to pay for a project that could top $1 billion,” the paper says.
Tourism officials say the goal is to transform the city into one of the top five convention destinations in North America.
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority describes its planned T5 ambition as a long-term strategic initiative that will roll out over the next 10 years. A key component of the initiative is new hotel rooms in the city, which has mid-priced accommodations in short supply.
In addition to a larger convention center and more hotel rooms, the so-called T5 plan calls for public transportation upgrades and improving Boston’s hospitality culture to help grow the city’s convention business.
By David Wilkening
David
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