BOSTON
Gov. Charlie Baker paused the $1 billion plan to expand the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, after he questioned whether the proposal could ever meet its financial promises.
The Boston governor also decided to replace half of the convention authority's board so that it could examine the proposed expansion with a fresh set of eyes, citing concerns that much has changed in the five years since the budget for the upgrades was proposed.
Budget Chief, Kristen Lepore, stated that initial estimates were projecting the BCEC to generate 670,000 hotel room stays a year, but that only 472,000 room nights were accounted for in the last fiscal year, and that's only after combining business from the Hynes Convention Center downtown.
Baker's decision to halt the expansion follows the departure of convention center chief, James Rooney, who made advancing the project one of his top priorities while working with the BCEC. He left to become CEO of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, which Baker said left a leadership gap.
It is currently uncertain when or if Baker will decide to move forward with the project. Meetings Focus will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.
