Boston Shines Bright During PCMA Convening Leaders News from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority | Spring 2014 a Bright Future Based on Past Success
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CONTENTS Boston Shines Bright during PCMA Convening Leaders News From The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority | Spring 2014 A Bright Future Based on Past Success D Street Hotel Groundbreaking Ceremony Kicks off MCCA’s Broad Expansion Plans Cutting Edge Competition at the BCEC The Boston Common Garage: So Green, You’ll Think You Parked on the Common! Employee Spotlight: Stacey Church, Assistant General Manager of the MassMutual Center Commitment to Excellence: Introducing the Venue Products Manager Life@50+ Proves Fun has No Age Limit Upcoming Events Boston Shines With a theme of [R]evolution, PCMA Convening Leaders opening session Connect with Us showcased Boston’s continued place Bright during PCMA in the evolution of our nation and the Convening Leaders meetings industry. BOSTON SHINES BRIGHT DURING PCMA CONVENING LEADERS performances from the Skating Club of Boston, CONTENTS What if 4,000 past and potential clients the Boston Children’s Chorus and local dance showed up at your front door and expected Boston Shines Bright during company Phunk Phenomenon. Levy Restaurants, to see just how good you are at your job? PCMA Convening Leaders the MCCA’s food and beverage partner, designed For Boston’s hospitality industry, this sce- creative menus that showcased fresh New A Bright Future Based on nario became a reality when the Professional England cuisine. And staff from the convention Past Success Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) center to The Shops at the Prudential Center wore Convening Leaders 2014 annual event descended welcome pins and red scarves emblazoned with D Street Hotel Groundbreaking on Boston and the Hynes Convention Center in the 2014 Convening Leaders logo. Ceremony Kicks off MCCA’s Broad January. Over 4,000 of the world’s most influen- Expansion Plans The event left its own impression on Boston, tial meeting planners attended this year’s event – giving back in a big way. Over 150 attendees Cutting Edge Competition at the BCEC a record-breaker for Convening Leaders. participated in a morning of community service Boston’s entire hospitality community – from at local nonprofit Cradles to Crayons, helping sort The Boston Common Garage: So the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and distribute donations in their Brighton Giving Green, You’ll Think You Parked on the Common! to Massport – spent the past year working with Factory, and presenting the organization with PCMA to plan this spectacular event that would a donation of $12,000. Proceeds from PCMA’s Employee Spotlight: Stacey Church, showcase Boston as a leading destination for annual “Party with a Purpose” event went to Assistant General Manager of the meetings and conventions. College Bound Dorchester, resulting in a $25,000 MassMutual Center donation. And, with support from the Boylston “This was a home game for Boston, and the whole Street Walgreens, the event collected over 1,700 Commitment to Excellence: team came together to knock it out of the park,” new pairs of underwear and socks through their Introducing the Venue Products said James E. Rooney, the MCCA’s Executive “Underwearness” campaign, to be donated to Manager Director. “We were especially proud to feature Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Governor Patrick and newly elected Mayor Walsh Life@50+ Proves Fun has No as keynote speakers at the Hynes. It shows how “Convening Leaders created a buzz of activity Age Limit invested Massachusetts is in the success of our across the city,” Rooney said. “And the impact state’s hospitality industry.” will last far beyond the three-day event. After Upcoming Events such a successful event, we’re confident planners Using the event’s theme of [R]evolution, Connect with Us will be calling to book their own events here in Convening Leaders attendees were immersed the near future.” in Boston culture from the minute they landed at Logan Airport. The opening reception featured an Olympic-sized skating rink at the BCEC and A Bright Future Based on Past Success CONTENTS Boston Shines Bright during In June, we will celebrate the 10-year anniver- You’ll also read about our steady progress with PCMA Convening Leaders sary of the BCEC. When we built this building, our Top 5 Initiative. In October, we filed legisla- we knew we would be successful, but didn’t tion that would authorize the expansion of the A Bright Future Based on realize just how successful in such a short BCEC, without the need for new fees or taxes. Past Success amount of time. And this year is the perfect And in December, we broke ground on two new time to celebrate that success – we’re on track mid-priced hotels located on D Street, just D Street Hotel Groundbreaking to break two major records in 2014, hosting across the street from the BCEC. Ceremony Kicks off MCCA’s Broad Expansion Plans events generating more hotel room nights All in all, 2014 promises to be an exciting year and more economic impact than ever before for the Authority and for Boston’s hospitality Cutting Edge Competition at the BCEC in the city’s history. industry. And in the next decade to come, The Boston Common Garage: So In just 10 years, Boston has arrived as a we’re looking forward to breaking even more Green, You’ll Think You Parked on premiere convention destination, and this records and continuing to share in those suc- the Common! reputation brings tremendous economic cesses with you – our clients, visitors, partners benefits to the Commonwealth. In 2014, we’re and neighbors. Employee Spotlight: Stacey Church, expecting meetings and conventions to create Assistant General Manager of the upwards of $680 million in economic impact MassMutual Center for our region. Commitment to Excellence: While we celebrate our achievements, we’re Introducing the Venue Products still working hard to stay on top of industry Manager trends and continuing to invest in initiatives that Life@50+ Proves Fun has No keep Boston ahead of the curve when it comes Age Limit to hosting meetings. In this edition of Front & Center, you’ll read about our new Strategy & Upcoming Events Product Development team, as well as our groundbreaking Venue Products Manager Connect with Us program, designed to make planning meetings in Boston a seamless experience. D Street Hotel Groundbreaking Ceremony CONTENTS Boston Shines Bright during Kicks off MCCA’s Broad Expansion Plans PCMA Convening Leaders future BCEC expansion. “These hotels will provide much-needed mid-priced hotel rooms A Bright Future Based on Past Success not only to the South Boston Waterfront, but to Boston overall,” said James E. Rooney, the D Street Hotel Groundbreaking MCCA’s Executive Director. “More diverse hotel Ceremony Kicks off MCCA’s Broad inventory makes Boston a more desirable desti- Expansion Plans nation for event planners and tourists alike.” Cutting Edge Competition at the BCEC Expected to open in 2015, these two hotels will bring tremendous benefits to Boston The Boston Common Garage: So New D Street Hotels are shovel ready after a December groundbreaking residents. Expected to create 370 construc- Green, You’ll Think You Parked on that featured speakers including Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, Mayor tion jobs and 175 permanent jobs, the hotels are the Common! Martin J. Walsh, and former Mayor Thomas M. Menino. also expected to generate more than $5 mil- On a brisk December morning, the MCCA, lion annually in taxes. In addition, the MCCA Employee Spotlight: Stacey Church, CV Properties, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Assistant General Manager of the engaged a community-based Design Advisory Worldwide and Boston elected officials includ- MassMutual Center Committee and the Boston Redevelopment ing State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, Mayor Authority during the design-phase of the hotels Martin J. Walsh and former Mayor Thomas M. Commitment to Excellence: Menino, gathered on D Street to celebrate the to include a larger-scale urban design initiative Introducing the Venue Products Manager groundbreaking of two new hotels in the South that will transform D Street into a distinctive Boston Waterfront. The ceremony took place corridor that connects South Boston to the Waterfront. And when the hotels are open, de- Life@50+ Proves Fun has No across from the BCEC, under a large white tent Age Limit situated on the future site of the 330-room veloper CV Properties and operator Starwood Aloft Hotel and the 180-room extended stay Hotels will work together with the University of Upcoming Events Element Hotel. Massachusetts Boston to provide scholarships and hands-on internships to local college stu- Connect with Us The groundbreaking marked a giant step for- dents enrolled in hospitality programs, making ward in the MCCA’s overall Top 5 campaign to this hotel development a win-win for the Boston make Boston a Top 5 destination for meetings meetings industry and the community. and conventions. Hotel development is a major component of the plan which also involves a Learn More: massconvention.com/about-us/press-releases Cutting Edge Competition at the BCEC CONTENTS Boston Shines Bright during From January 4-11, the BCEC’s Hall A was Champions, Marissa Castelli and Simon PCMA Convening Leaders home to the 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Shnapir. We took advantage of the rink for Skating Championships. The event brought PCMA as well; during the event’s opening A Bright Future Based on an Olympic-sized ice rink and champion reception at the BCEC, talented performers Past Success skaters of all ages, including Sochi-bound from the Skating Club of Boston dazzled Olympic competitors Gracie Gold, Ashley attendees with coordinated spins and jumps. D Street Hotel Groundbreaking Ceremony Kicks off MCCA’s Broad Wagner and Boston natives and Pairs Expansion Plans Pairs team Jimmy Morgan and Alex Shaughnessy represented Skating The Skating Club of Boston dazzled PCMA attendees during the Club of Boston well at the 2014 U.S.