Local Institute Debates Need for Large Convention Center

BOSTON-As the proposed convention center here in South Boston continues to be mired in budget overruns and redesigns, a local institute releases a study that claims that the market for meetings and conventions is not increasing as predicted. The Pioneer Institute study states that this will mean taxpayers in this state could potentially foot the bill for the convention center in state hotel and motel taxes if it under-performs.

Convention market expert, Heywood Sanders, a professor at the University of Texas, conducted the study, commissioned by Pioneer. In the study, he states that while the final report on the Boston Convention Exhibition Center done in 1997 predicted that demand for exhibition space would grow 23% over the next five ears while the supply of exhibition space would increase by just 12%. According to Heywood, the most recent Tradeshow Week Major Exhibit Hall Directory exhibition space is now expected to increase 25% over the next five years.

Heywood also notes that the final report also indicates that in 2000 140 million people would attend 4,781 exhibitions, but attendance at trade shows this past year was 126 million. The number of conventions and tradeshows was 4,637 –3% below projections. Heywood also notes that these same recommendations were made to other cities that are also adding new convention center space. “The presumed growth simply isn’t there,” writes Heywood.