What? The MCCA is receiving requests to make the BCEC larger by shows who want to host their events at the BCEC, but can't because the BCEC is too small.
Perhaps I wasn't making myself clear. I have seen the MCCA
analysis [poor loading times] and that of the
Pioneer Institute as well as the
Globe and
WBUR pieces. None strike me as neutral and independent or in-depth enough to be compelling.
Every convention center 'receives requests' for more/larger shows. Requests cost nothing. Building the space is financed by the state / taxpayers. The existence of requests is meaningless, particularly without any numbers to back it up.
Consultants and state sponsored studies always
promote expansion (or almost see Detroit). New York's Javits is bigger than Boston will be after expansion, and they are
seeing requests to make it bigger.
Leaders of state-funded entities, like the MCCA, are
always looking to fund expansion, and expand their tax base amongst the non-voting.
There are
serious questions about the state of the convention center market overall. And similarly whether convention centers deliver any
positive economics to cities that finance them. Like real estate, the numbers are clouded in mystery, non-public and controlled by the consultants who seek to manipulate them.
There are serious questions for a BCEC expansion about the potential for achieving improvements to the occupancy rate and the
operating deficit now and in the future, and the opportunity cost of using taxes this way as opposed to expanding transportation which locals use.
I would agree that it seems clear that hotel rooms should be increased in the seaport. On the other hand I don't see why the MCCA should subsidize their financing. It would seem to me it is eminently possible for completely private
fundraising to support hotel development in the city right now.
If the convention center can not fund itself today from an operating perspective, why expand it further. If it is generating excess tax benefits beyond it's official revenue, let's see those numbers.
So to be clear I would like to see a neutral study of the net economic benefits, a clear estimate of occupancy and the state of the convention market, clear and transparent figures on operating budgets (historical, now and with expansion) and the source of the financing for the project (this has been reasonable detailed by others).
