BOSTON
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority filed legislation yesterday (Oct. 2) in the State House of Representatives that would authorize a billion dollar expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the South Boston Waterfront without the need for new fees or taxes.
Co-sponsored by State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry and State Representative Nick Collins, the bill authorizes a 1.3 million-square-foot expansion of the BCEC, including substantial additions to the exhibit and meeting space, and a second, larger ballroom, allowing the MCCA to attract larger events and host multiple concurrent events.
Funding for the $1 billion expansion would be supported by the existing Convention Center Fund, which was created in 1997 to pay for the construction and operations of the BCEC. The Convention Center Fund revenues consist of existing tourism-based fees and taxes, none of which would need to be increased to fund the expansion project.
“This legislation is the culmination of a four-year transparent and public campaign aimed at increasing Boston’s and Massachusetts’ share of the meeting and convention industry,” said James E. Rooney, MCCA executive director. “Over the past decade, we’ve worked hard to make Massachusetts a major convention market, and with the successful passage of this legislation – which requires no new fees or taxes – we have an opportunity to solidify our leadership and increase the jobs and economic benefit our work creates for years to come.”
The MCCA’s expansion campaign, named Top 5, was first announced in 2009 and seeks to increase the number of hotel rooms near the BCEC, expand the facility to better accommodate growing or overlapping events, and allow Boston and Massachusetts to increase their market share in the $263 billion U.S. meeting and convention industry.
Shortly after announcing the start of the campaign, the MCCA established the Convention Partnership, an independent 27-member group of local stakeholders, elected officials and other leaders appointed by the Governor, the Mayor, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President.
For more details on the MCCA’s Top 5 campaign, see the “Moving Forward” link at www.massconvention.com.
