In his 1869 published letter, “A First Visit to Boston,” Mark Twain, who named Boston as one of only four unique cities in the U.S. (along with New Orleans, San Antonio and San Francisco), noted that “One of the most engaging peculiarities of Boston is her reverence for her tradition, her relics, her antiquities.”
Boston is also unusually serious about progress. With some $23 billion in new construction since 2012, including the skyline-busting 61-story Four Seasons tower rising in the Back Bay, groups have more options than ever.
“The extraordinary pace of development on the waterfront and in the Seaport District has helped shape a new image of Boston,” said Greater Boston CVB President & CEO Patrick Moscaritolo. “Moving beyond culture, history and education as sole brand drivers, Boston’s brand essence is a city of innovation, discovery and global commerce. Teeming with opportunities, our broad appeal includes international business leaders, students, Millennials and meeting planners bringing a corporate or association meeting here to experience Boston’s unique blend of ‘old’ and ‘new.’”
Like those Revolutionary days, Boston is a call to action.
Boston
Connections are strong in Boston, such as the four Marriott Convention & Resort Network hotels (see “3.2.1...”, page 37) supporting the Hynes Convention Center and Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). Treasures like Faneuil Hall, meanwhile, are links to Boston as a place of historic meetings.
Wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil’s gift to Boston in 1742, this hallowed hall is where colonists established “no taxation without representation,” Samuel Adams rallied Bostonians to the cause of independence and George Washington toasted America’s first birthday. Incorporating the Quincy, North and South markets, the “Hub of the Hub” offers event spaces such as the Hall’s storied Rotunda and entire Quincy Market.
Another legendary Bostonian, Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924), bequeathed her remarkable Fenway home as a museum “for the education and enjoyment of the public forever.” Opened in 1903, her re-created 15th century Venetian palazzo and its many treasures enchant like a dream. In 1990, the museum suffered the theft of 13 works, including pieces by Rembrandt and Degas. At $500 million, the heist, still unsolved, is the largest ever from a museum. Rentals include the New Wing, from famed museum architect Renzo Piano; the Cloisters; and buyouts for 450 guests.
Fenway Park (1912) is America’s oldest ballpark. Enshrined by locals, the Red Sox’s home offers tours and venues such as the 200-capacity outdoor deck atop the iconic 37-foot Green Monster wall.
America’s first library, the Boston Public Library (1848) offers the 15,000-square-foot Boylston Hall for events.
In the Fort Point Channel Landmark District, the event-capable Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum features guest experiences such as tossing East India tea into Boston Harbor. Steps away, the Boston Children’s Museum features the 40-foot Hood Milk Bottle, a 1930 landmark serving ice cream and snacks. Nearby, event-capable Barking Crab is an old-school seafood shack with waterside seating.
Fort Point borders the South Boston Waterfront and Seaport District, long epicenters of adaptive development. Milestones include the 2004-built BCEC—at 2.1 million square feet, the Northeast’s largest convention facility—and in 2006, the visionary new Institute of Contemporary Art building and $15 billion “Big Dig” transit project.
Today, this “Innovation District” keeps soaring behind mixed-use projects such as the restaurant-rich Fan Pier, and two truly transformative projects for groups.
PageBreakAnnounced this May, Omni Resorts and Hotels will develop a two-tower, 1,054-room hotel across from the BCEC. Reportedly offering 120,000 square feet of space, including the city’s largest ballroom at 25,000 square feet, the project is slated to open in 2021.
And construction is underway on Las Vegas titan Steve Wynn’s $2.4 billion Wynn Boston Harbor. Billed as “America’s first five-star urban gaming resort,” the 671-room tower, scheduled for 2019, will reportedly feature 50,000 square feet of lavish meeting space, an event lawn and harbor walk, and water shuttle service to Logan Airport and around Boston Harbor.
Regional Riches
In neighboring Cambridge, dating to 1603, the past anchors an entrepreneurial future.
“Whether discovering our country’s beginnings or the technology that will create our future, Cambridge’s exciting blend of Old-World charm and New Age innovation offers something for everyone,” said Robyn Culbertson, executive director of the Cambridge Office for Tourism.
Amid the youthful vibe of some 36,000 Harvard, M.I.T. and other students, Cambridge is a study in heritage sites, including the Harvard Art Museums and 350-capacity Norton’s Woods Conference Center at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The tour-capable Cooper-Frost-Austin House (1681), Cambridge’s oldest structure, is among many Massachusetts properties preserved by Boston-based organization Historic New England.
The new 121-room Freepoint Hotel features a secret garden behind the back lobby, programmable together for 90-person receptions.
Thirty minutes from Boston, the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, marketed as the North of Boston, offer luxurious accommodations, museums, shopping and dining in its mix of heritage and modern draws.
“Groups of all kinds, including conferences, small conventions and reunions, enjoy our blend of old and new,” said North of Boston CVB Executive Director Ann Marie Casey.
Mentioned above, Historic New England preserves 36-plus historic properties in five states. All offering private tours, several area properties include Beauport—the Sleeper-McCann House (1907) in historic Gloucester, which hosts outdoor tented gatherings for 50 people. Also in Gloucester, home to the popular Cape Ann’s Marina Resort overlooking Cape Ann Marina, the new 94-room Beauport Hotel hosts events for up to 333 people. Approaching its 350th anniversary, Salem’s seaside House of the Seven Gables (1668) hosts 300-capacity events, buyouts included.
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in coastal Ipswich is a meetings destination for the ages. The circa-1637 estate features the 59-room Great House (1928), hosting outdoor lawn events, and the historic 10-room Inn at Castle Hill for lodging and meetings.
Also 30 minutes north and west of Boston, the Greater Merrimack Valley mixes nation-building legacies with futuristic entertainment.
“Birthplace of both the American Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, the Merrimack Valley’s blend of historic sites with state-of-the-art venues provides unforgettable experiences for attendees,” said Thomas Fitzmaurice, new executive director of the Greater Merrimack Valley CVB.
Meanwhile, Beverly is home to the group-friendly North Shore Music Theatre.
On April 19, 1775, “the shot heard round the world” was fired as American patriots confronted British soldiers in Lexington and Concord. Guided tours and other programs revive this catalyst of the American Revolution.
Lowell’s water-driven textile mills helped power the Industrial Age. At the Lowell National Historical Park, groups can visit the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, take canal boat tours and more. Other heritage venues include the multipurpose, 2,800-seat Lowell Memorial Auditorium (1922) and 800-seat Cary Memorial Building (1928).
In August 2017, the Boston Marriott Burlington completed a multiphase transformation, including all 418 guest rooms and suites and 14,000-plus square feet of space.
Newly opened in Woburn, MindTrek VR is the nation’s largest free-roam VR gaming facility. Featuring two 2,000-square-foot arenas, the venue has meeting space for up to 40, plus a 90-capacity function area.
