Last November, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) received the MassRecycle’s 2011 GOLD Award in the Institutions category for its recycling practices. Selected through a peer review process, MassRecycle noted that the MCCA stood out as a “particularly exemplary candidate” in a field of 54 nominees.
How we execute events can have a serious impact on our environment and societies. Corporate Social Responsibility is fundamental to our culture and core values.
We are committed to the philosophies and resources that protect and positively impact our planet. Both our convention centers--the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and the Hynes Convention Center--have implemented initiatives designed to conserve energy, protect vital resources and promote ecologically-efficient policies and procedures.
“We’re striving for greener operations year after year, from encouraging paperless meetings to replacing outdated HVAC systems with more efficient models. But the best part of being environmentally conscious occurs when we’re able to donate excess conference materials and resources to local neighborhood organizations to change what would otherwise be trash into treasure for those who need it most”, said Colleen Richards Powell, the MCCA’s Chief External Relations and Communications Officer.
In fact, during the BCEC’s design and construction from 1999 through 2004, the MCCA took extra measures to ensure that the building would not have a negative impact on the environment. Though the Hynes was built in 1988, significant environmentally friendly updates were later made for the building’s lighting, insulation, air, and water systems.
Our convention facilities save energy by reducing the use of lights, escalators and HVAC systems during move-in and move-out days. Low-flow toilets and water-saving devices are installed throughout the BCEC restrooms. Since 2008, we have reduced our annual water consumption by 21%.
We are also committed to using green products. From our daily disinfectants to our vacuum cleaners, more than 80% of our cleaning products for kitchens, bathrooms, carpets and floors are environmentally responsible.
Our recycling programs are designed to reduce waste both inside the organization and out. At the BCEC and Hynes, event planners and exhibitors are encouraged to recycle and donate through our Conventions C.A.R.E. program.
Feel good about holding your Boston event at some of the most environmentally conscious convention centers in the country!
Visit our website for more information about our green practices.
Boston hotels are getting a facelift! This week, we are featuring the recent renovation of the Westin Copley Place, Boston. We will feature other Boston hotels in future blog articles.
There is no place like home and hotel guests now expect their sleeping rooms to have everything they enjoy. Renovating hotels are responding to these expectations with much more than comfy beds!
On April 2011, the Westin Copley Place completed an $18 million renovation that had begun a year earlier. It included a complete redesign of the hotel’s corridors and all 803 guestrooms. This project marks the hotel’s fourth major renovation since its establishment in 1983.
“It has been extremely rewarding to watch our hotel transform,” said Michael Jorgensen, General Manager of the Westin Copley Place. “The whole staff is looking forward to treating each guest to a truly renewing experience in our beautifully redesigned and more sustainable guestrooms.”
The décor of the new guestrooms and corridors incorporates graceful curves and intersecting lines inspired by the Boston skyline and Copley Square’s grid pattern. The soothing color palette includes a splash of a rusty brick and bay color characteristic of classic Boston architecture.
Specifically for your attendees, the new rooms have also been upgraded with a series of amenities that support the latest technology. With versatile jack pack outlets allowing guests to connect audio, video and computer devices to hear and view on the high-definition LCD televisions in every room, the renovated guestrooms not only have all the comforts of home, but all of the features of a 21st century office as well.
The redesign also enhances the hotel’s existing emphasis on green initiatives by including features such as high efficiency lighting, low VOC paint, recycled backing for all wall coverings and headboard fabric constructed from 66% recycled content. By adding these sustainable elements, the already Green Key and Green Seal certified hotel has earned an Energy Star Rating.
Learn more about our Boston hotels and the great free services that we offer when it comes to building your hotel packages by visiting our webiste. You will also find a very handy interactive map that shows where our convention centers, hotels and venues are located. For information on the Westin Copley Place, Boston, visit: www.westincopleyplaceboston.com.
Last week, the New England International Auto Show, which took place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center January 14-16, was a blast!
The show was great entertainment for serious shoppers, car buffs and the entire family, who could sit in the cars, pop the hoods, inspect the trunks, kick the tires.
This year’s show featured 32 different car brands and hundreds of models including the latest premiers. Attendees could see all of their favorites and test drive selected models. New to the show was Camp Jeep, an exciting demonstration that gave attendees a firsthand experience of an adventurous off-roading course with obstacles. The hottest cars were undoubtedly the ones equipped with small and more fuel-efficient engines and they didn’t compromise on performance or style!
Follow me to the show floor by watching this 3 minute video:
The Hynes Convention Center welcomed its second restaurant last fall when The Capital Grille opened on Boylston Street. The restaurant moved from Newbury Street to its new site, which is nearly double the size of the old location.
“The Capital Grille is an icon of the Boston restaurant scene, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome it to the Hynes,” said James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. The Capital Grille is a fine-dining restaurant known for its dry-aged, hand-carved beef selections, fresh seafood, award-winning collection of 350 wines, and professional service. Waiters in tan jackets, bow ties, and white bistro aprons warmly welcome you and expertly anticipate your every need.
The décor is upscale and elegant using mahogany, brass, and dark reds and greens giving the space both a romantic and masculine vibe. The main dining room features paintings of hunting parties and beautiful Art Deco light fixtures.
Routinely recognized by Wine Spectator Magazine, the restaurant also recently received the America Culinary Federation’s “Achievement of Excellence Award” and was a guest favorite on Open Table’s “2010 Best American Cuisine Winners – Top 50 Restaurant List.”
The Capital Grille introduced a “Plates” menu from which you pick a soup or salad, a sandwich and a side for $18, including items like porcini bisque, mini tenderloin sandwiches, and truffle fries. This is a great option for convention attendees looking to enjoy their lunch in an upscale and sophisticated atmosphere without breaking the bank. They also have a well priced mid-day wine list if you are in the mood for it!
Features include patio seating, five private dining rooms, and a more spacious bar and lounge. For private functions, the restaurant can accommodate up to 60 people for a sit-down dinner and up to 80 people for a cocktail reception.
The Hynes has two restaurant spaces on Boylston Street, one on each corner of the building. The Capital Grille shares this prime location with the trendy Towne, Stove and Spirits restaurant, which opened in 2010. In addition, Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood offers numerous restaurants with a variety of cuisines and private function rooms to support your event.
Find more information about dining options at the Hynes on our website.
2011 was an amazing year. We moved the world’s perception of Boston as a meeting and convention destination markedly forward with the advancement of our
Top 5 campaign and our winning the prestigious
gold standard award for the BCEC and the Hynes from the International Association of Congress Centres. We successfully executed two significant
minority meeting events and helped change the perception of our city across the nation. At the same time, we and the Boston Convention Marketing Center booked some major events for the future, enhancing our role in this very competitive marketplace.
And in 2012, things get even better. Once again, Boston will be the center of the ever-advancing world of biotechnology when we host
BIO’s international convention in June. The Penny Arcade Expo East comes back even stronger this March. And in May, we will be the center of the world of cable television when the major
Cable Show 2012 brings together people, products and ideas in a community that's connected by the world's most powerful communications platform. The show is touting Boston as “a city with innovation in its DNA. Just like cable.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
These events continue to prove Boston’s dominance when it comes to drawing international events and attendees. In fact, 26 of next year’s events are expected to draw more than 10 percent international attendance, including BIO with 30 percent international attendance, the International Boston Seafood Show with 25 percent international attendance, and the Cable Show, which expects attendees from more than 48 different countries.
Thank you for choosing Boston for your events and for helping us move our destination forward as one of the world’s top meeting and convention destinations.
We wish you and your families a happy New Year.
James E. Rooney is Executive Director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.
There is only one destination like 3-2-1 Connect. It's where your attendees can meet, sleep and play under one roof!
THREE convention hotels, TWO shopping galleries and ONE convention center are connected within an all-weather facility located in the heart of Boston's historic Back Bay neighborhood.
When holding your event at the Hynes Convention Center, you are connected to three world-class hotels--the Boston Marriott Copley Place, the Sheraton Boston Hotel and the Westin Copley Place Boston— offering over 3,100 rooms. You are also connected to two internationally renowned shopping destinations—the Copley Place Shopping Galleries and The Shops at Prudential Center—featuring more than 200 shops, restaurants and visitor amenities.
Your attendees don't have to step outside to go to their hotel rooms or to experience hundreds of great retailers and the city's hottest dining spots!
Watch our new 3-2-1 Connect video and visit our website for more information.
Let Boston Artists be Part of Your Convention Experience!
The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and Hynes Convention Center are among the first in the meeting and convention industry to host rotating painting, photography and sculpture exhibits throughout the year, displaying the works of local artists from across the region.
These exhibits contribute to providing a beautiful space for convention attendees!
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) has made support of the local arts community one of its key priorities. Both the work of professional artists and students is displayed, and many pieces are available for sale. A convention attendee from Saudi Arabia left with a 350 lbs sculpture of a bear last month after attending a medical conference at the BCEC!
Watch a tour of the BCEC’s current art exhibit with Susan Merritt, Art Consultant for the MCCA. Watch a short 3 minute video tour OR the full 10 minute tour:
Boston's food trucks offer both delicious and healthy on-the-go meals. The program was launched last summer and has since then exploded in popularity. Mayor Thomas M. Menino had announced back in July that the new food trucks would serve “wicked good food” and they have delivered!
Boston has dedicated 17 sites in the city where food trucks can be found on a rotation basis. They are concentrated in the historic downtown areas and are conveniently located near the Hynes Convention Center, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, and downtown hotels.
As part of the Mayor’s Healthy Food Initiative, food trucks participating in the program must include at least one healthy menu option that does not include fried foods, trans-fats or high fructose corn syrup. The healthy menu option also has to include at least three of the following: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and grilled or broiled lean meats. Mayor Thomas M. Menino said: “Food trucks are fun, fresh way for people to enjoy a variety of food, much of it healthy and locally produced.”
For convention attendees new to the food truck scene, here are five to try out, recommended by Eric Wilbur of about.com:
Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese
A participant in Food Network’s "Great Food Truck Race," this popular grilled cheese outfit serves up specialty grilled cheese options like the Green Muenster Melt (including homemade guacamole and applewood bacon), hand cut truffle fries, and a grilled cheesecake for dessert.
Redbones
The highly-regarded Somerville barbecue restaurant offers both lunch and dinner options. Dining options include St. Louis ribs, pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, and an $8 daily special.
Kick*ss Cupcakes
These delectable treats include the Green Monster (a chocolate cupcake with a beer ganache center topped with Sam Adams Cream Stout frosting), cookie dough, and the mojito.
Go Fish!
This seafood truck offers a rotating list of tantalizing specials updated each week.
Bon Me
This gourmet truck serves up Vietnamese-inspired food including noodle salad, sandwiches, and rice bowls.
The trucks serve a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods from 6PM to 11PM. A specific truck can be found on any given day by checking the schedule on the City of Boston website. Users can filter through trucks based on day, time, and neighborhood.
Boston’s Food Truck Program is a good reflection of the Boston dining scene, which is marked by exceptional diversity, ethnic variety, and proximity to the convention centers and hotels. Find out more about Boston Dining.
Boston is the only city in the U.S. that includes this complete hotel solution as part of their city’s services.
Planners rave about the unique services the Hotel Relations Team at the Boston Convention Marketing Center (BCMC) provides when it comes to finding hotel solutions for their events.
“When it comes to hotel services and solutions, Boston is terrific and wonderful. They are responsive, they direct me to the right source, and they are always willing to step in and solve a challenge themselves” said Sally Muravchik from American Federation of Teachers.
Renee Aubin from the Lions Clubs International wrote: "Judy Sheng and her team help us get the most competitive rates and push for additional rooms when we need them. They are so knowledgeable about the hotels and they are able to offer great solutions that cover everything from room blocks to specialized services. They saved us a lot of time!"
In order to get a better understanding of what these services include, I had a conversation with Judy Sheng, Director of Hotel Relations & Services and Phyllis Cheng, Hotel Relations & Services Manager at the Boston Convention Marketing Center (BCMC). Here is an overview that I divided into 5 areas:
30,000 Hotel Rooms. One Point of Contact.
Where do you start when you need help with hotels? With over 30,000 hotel rooms in the Greater Boston area, convention customers only need to make one call to the BCMC’s Hotel Relations Team to find answers about any of the hotels.
Assembling a Boston Hotel Package.
What is the best combination of hotels you should use for your convention? Which hotels will your attendees like to stay at for an excellent convention experience? After qualifying a client’s hotel needs, expectations and hot buttons, the Hotel Relations Team will reach out to the appropriate Boston hotels to secure the largest room blocks at the most competitive rates.
Have important concessions which need to be met? The Hotel Relations Team can also secure bids that include responses to your list of concessions. Whether it is complimentary Internet access in guestrooms, suite upgrades, special student rates, or all of the above, the Hotel Relations team will do all the legwork and provide you and your housing provider with a detailed snapshot of Boston’s hotel availability, rate offering, and offered concessions. In addition, a customized map that includes our proposed convention center, participating hotels with their proximity to the center, subway stops and points of interest in the city can also be provided.
Planning a site visit to Boston.
How would you get around to see what you need to see to make an informed decision in the limited time you have? From the moment you arrive in Boston, until your departure, whether it be by plane, train or automobile, the Hotel Relations team will coordinate all of the details of your visit. To ensure that your time spent in Boston is productive, they will work closely with you to produce a customized itinerary which achieves your visit’s objectives. They will also provide you with hotel fact sheets that all have the same format and therefore can very easily be compared (see pictures below).
Completing your Convention Hotel Package.
The Headquarter Hotel is contracted, but what about all the other hotels you will need to house all your attendees? It’s not uncommon for clients to book their events 10 years out and only sign one hotel contract to secure their Headquarter status. The Hotel Relations Team will continue to work with clients AND our Boston hotel partners to ensure that room blocks proposed continue to be held on a first option for your convention. In the event there is competition for these rooms, the Hotel Relations Team will work with both customers and hotel partners towards finalization.
Securing Overflow Rooms.
Having a GREAT response to Boston and running out of rooms in your hotel room blocks? The BCMC’s Hotel Relations & Services Team will help you find those overflow rooms! Even up to two days prior to your attendees’ arrival, the Team will work diligently with clients and their housing provider to find these rooms.
Using these services, you will save your organization a huge amount of time and money. Now THAT’s value!
The BCMC’s objectives of developing and maintaining strong partnerships between the hotels and convention centers is unique in the country; and these efforts all strive towards one primary goal - to make sure your hotel experience in Boston is outstanding!
Visit the Services section of our website to find out what other great services Boston offer for your events and let us know what you think of them.
Hotel Fact Sheet |
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Last week, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center was home to this year’s Association for Financial Professional (AFP) Annual Conference.
The AFP Annual Conference is the most important event in the United States for treasury and finance. The conference gathered over 6,000 corporate executives including President Bill Clinton who opened the event as one of the keynote speakers.
Attendees were eager to network and discuss the latest trends in payment risk management, treasury operations, financial analysis and… we discovered that they were also enthusiastic to participate in some unexpected activity…
Watch our video to see what we found on the AFP exhibit floor:
AFP gives back with the Foundation for Hospital Art. Thank you, Barbara!