An analysis of the convention center market and implications for the planned expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

The proposed expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center was approved by the Massachusetts legislature in 2009. In 2010, the governor put the expansion on hold citing an overstated economic impact. Proponents argue that expanding the convention center will lead to increased occupancy and significant economic benefits. But do the benefits outweigh the costs? The first part of this thesis provides an overview of the convention center market in the US as well as two case studies of convention centers that have undergone expansions. The second part closely examines the history and performance of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center using data from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority along with data from various other sources to project realistic economic costs and benefits of the expansion as currently proposed.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Real Estate. Program in Real Estate Development.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Graham, Timothy Royce

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• William Wheaton.

• Center for Real Estate. Program in Real Estate Development.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/117303

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/117303