Lawmakers may soon decide whether to launch a $1 billion expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center — a project that would add 1.3 million square feet of space, including additional exhibit and meeting areas and another, larger ballroom.
"My goal is to have it dealt with this calendar year," said Massachusetts Convention Center Authority Executive Director James Rooney. "We have a number of events we'd like to be able to talk to for future years. The industry knows Boston is considering this."
The MCCA filed the expansion bill yesterday and said the project would not require "new fees or taxes." Funding would come from the Convention Center Fund, consisting of tourism-related fees and taxes.
The expansion would increase convention center floor space from 416,000 to 850,000 square feet — making Boston 14th in the country, up from its current 25th rank, Rooney said.
Expansion could draw larger medical and life sciences conventions and re-attract events like BIO that are now too big, he said.
Convention center officials also want to lure two hotels to Massport land across the street, adding 1,200 to 1,500 more rooms — a must, if the center expands, Rooney said.
Two smaller hotels with a combined 510 rooms on D Street are expected to open in late 2015, and the Westin Boston Waterfront may also expand.
Rooney downplayed any impact the expansion may have on residential South Boston. Both state Sen. Linda Dorcena-Forry and state Rep. Nick Collins co-sponsored the expansion bill.
"The convention development has served as a transition zone for the neighborhood between all the commercial and residential and retail development that's taken place," Rooney said.
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