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Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Convention center renaming honors Mayor Thomas M. Menino's vision for the city
'How's Menino's Folly coming?' Brudnoy asked Menino when he had him on his show in the summer of 2003. 'The convention center that no one is booking conventions in? Do you expect the full flowering of Menino's Folly will come in your fifth term or your sixth?' Menino stammered through a defense of the slow-moving project, then beset by legal delays and a sluggish economy. Then he quipped, 'What have you been drinking all day?' Advertisement It's too bad Brudnoy — who died in 2004 — won't be on hand Saturday to see the convention center he mocked The rededication is appropriate, because the building of the convention center stands as one of Menino's undisputed signature accomplishments. As well as one that was, in some ways, wildly out of character. Advertisement When the idea for the convention center was first floated, in the late 1990s, the waterfront was a completely different place than it is now, dominated by parking lots alongside a few old-school restaurants. It wouldn't be correct to say no one saw greater potential for it. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, eager to find a replacement for decrepit Foxboro Stadium, wanted to build a stadium there, though he would ultimately be thwarted in that goal. Some South Boston politicians and activists — led by City Councilor James M. Kelly — staunchly opposed developing the convention center, claiming that it encroached on their neighborhood turf. Let the record show that what they really wanted was to get paid. Actually, that's too simple. What they wanted was to assure that insular, white South Boston wouldn't change, which was an impossible demand to satisfy. The convention center fight became the last stand of the old guard leaders like Kelly, who had launched his political career as a staunch opponent of court-ordered desegregation and led protests outside South Boston High in the 1970s. Menino, regrettably, tried to get Southie residents on board by entering into a terrible agreement with a neighborhood group called the South Boston Betterment Trust. That group sought millions of dollars in city linkage funds. It planned to use part of that money to build affordable housing that it claimed would be exempt from fair housing laws. Their idea of a deal was to back the convention center in exchange for being able to build blatantly discriminatory new housing. Lawsuits flew in all directions — the city sued the trust to get out of the ill-begotten deal, while Kelly sued both the city and Menino personally in an attempt to enforce the agreement. (Thus destroying a decades-long friendship.) Advertisement In 2001, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the deal with the Betterment Trust was illegal, clearing the way for the convention center to finally get built. Menino's critics sometimes mocked him as an 'urban mechanic,' and he himself scoffed at the notion of visionary leadership. But his idea that the convention center could be an engine driving the creation of a new neighborhood — the Seaport — The conventions came. The restaurants came. 'In 2024 we drove $1.5 billion in economic development,' said Marcel Vernon Sr., the Convention Center Authority's executive director. Vernon moved to Boston less than a year ago, but he's keenly aware of the history of the area. He walks to work from his home in Fort Point and imagines the change yet to come. 'It's still evolving right in front of us.' As Menino well knew, building a city isn't for the faint of heart. He pushed and persevered, and built a monument. Not to himself, but to the city he saw emerging. It's a legacy that's getting the celebration it deserves. Adrian Walker is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘Menino Center' honors the mayor who willed the Southie convention hall into existence
Championing a new convention center was the biggest bet of Menino's historic 20-year tenure as mayor, one he wagered in his first term and double-downed on until he left office in 2014. It was a bold move because Menino was a political underdog back then, locked in a fight for the ages against then-Governor Bill Weld and New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft who initially insisted on building a megaplex (a convention center/stadium) and later a standalone football stadium on what was then a little-used sea of asphalt and warehouses. It would become a defining battle for the new mayor, one that would transform not only Boston's real estate landscape but also become his legacy. Had Menino lost, the Advertisement 'I used to say to him I think of this as the Menino Center because it would be his legacy,' recalled Gloria Larson, who served as the chair of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority when the Southie facility was being built. 'We were on time, on budget through minor miracles that occurred along the way. It all ended up working out, but many people doubted that. He never doubted that.' Advertisement The groundbreaking of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in 2000. RYAN, David L Globe Staff Menino got his way by winning over neighboring South Boston and its politicians, including Congressman Joe Moakley, City Council President Jim Kelly, and then-state Senator Stephen Lynch. The secret to Menino's political success? He knew which levers to pull. No way would South Boston support a stadium, but they could live with a convention center. Menino also needed buy-in from the Legislature, because the state would need to pony up about $700 million to construct a facility with 2.1 million square feet of exhibition and meeting space. In classic Menino fashion, he went on a road trip to drum up statewide support, courting leaders in Springfield and Worcester to get behind his big bill, which also included money to renovate or expand aging convention centers in their cities. In the fall of 1997, the three Tom's got the job done on Beacon Hill: Menino, of course, along with Senate president Tom Birmingham and House Speaker Tom Finneran. What about Weld? The Republican had resigned earlier that year in hopes of becoming the US ambassador to Mexico. (His nomination never made it out of the More drama would ensue. The city of Boston would need to assemble land for the convention center, largely by eminent domain. There were hundreds of public meetings with South Boston residents, and the staff of what was known back then as the Boston Redevelopment Authority got an earful. Advertisement At the same time, the agency, first under the leadership of Tom O'Brien and later under chief planner Kairos Shen, put together a master plan to turn what was then a wasteland of parking lots and light industry into another Back Bay with office buildings, restaurants, shops, and condos. Menino saw the convention center as the catalyst for all that development, and the BRA felt empowered to make it happen. 'We were still like these young kids, 'yeah, let's go make this convention center!'' recalled O'Brien, who is now one of the city's biggest developers, while Shen returned to City Hall last fall to oversee planning under Mayor Michelle Wu. There was also intense political pressure to keep the center on time and on budget, especially given the ongoing delays and cost overruns of the Big Dig in those years. And while Cellucci didn't give Menino much trouble, his successor, Mitt Romney, would. On more than one occasion, even after construction was underway, Romney threatened to kill the project, which fiscal conservatives viewed as a boondoggle, a white elephant that would sit empty most of the time. Mayor Thomas Menino, Gloria Larson, and then-Governor Mitt Romney joined Blue Man Group to celebrate the opening of the BCEC in 2004. Tlumacki, John Globe Staff There were other tense moments, like a year after breaking ground on the center, the convention center board had to replace the project's director of construction because members worried he couldn't keep it on budget. Larson knew the project needed leaders who could navigate a political and fiscal tightrope. That led her to Jim Rooney, who was at the time Menino's chief of staff. She knew it would be a tough sell, and sure enough, Menino gave her an earful. Advertisement 'I had to hold the phone out across the room. He was so angry at me,' said Larson, who served as economic secretary under Weld and later the president of Bentley University. But Menino understood. Giving up his right-hand man to work on the convention center would ensure its success. He made the deal. 'You can do this,' Menino told Larson. 'But basically, you owe me for life.' Rooney would eventually run the convention center authority through the rest of the construction of the BCEC and its opening in June 2004; he left in 2015 to become the CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Even after the convention center opened, Menino, at Rooney's behest, would fly to other cities to pitch meeting planners considering whether to bring their conventions to Boston. The efforts paid off, in the form of confabs with tens of thousands of attendees, gatherings that otherwise would have bypassed Boston from the 2004 Democratic National Convention to the 'He was all in,' observed Rooney, who, along with Larson, will be speaking at Saturday's renaming ceremony. And by the time 'If you asked him, some of the things that he's most proud of, the convention center would be on the list,' Rooney said. 'So to have it named after him is fitting.' Advertisement Through it all, Menino pushed for the convention center not so much that he wanted it to be the main attraction but rather a catalyst on the waterfront. 'It's because of his clarity about what that vision should be that has allowed us to put the convention center at the edge of Summer Street,' said Shen, 'and then as a backdrop to all of this private development.' To Menino supporters and administration alumni, July 12 holds special significance. It was on that day in 1993 that Menino, then City Council president, became acting mayor after Ray Flynn left to become the ambassador to the Vatican. And every year while he was mayor, Menino would hold a This year, following the speeches and tributes, there will be one more block party, this time at the convention center's Lawn on D, to celebrate Menino and the new neighborhood he helped build. And like the one in Hyde Park, all are invited. Mayor Thomas Menino toured the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center when it opened in 2004. Knott, Janet Globe Staff Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center becomes Menino Convention Center in July
BOSTON (SHNS) – The largest building in New England will officially be renamed next month in honor of the late Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, eight months after the Legislature ordered the change. The Mass. Convention Center Authority announced Tuesday that it will hold an event on Saturday, July 12 to formally relabel the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the Seaport as the Thomas Michael Menino Convention and Exhibition Center. The new name is meant to honor Menino, the city's mayor from 1993 until 2014 who oversaw the start of the Seaport building boom. 'Mayor Menino loved Boston deeply, and he made our city into the global hub for business, commerce and tourism that we know it to be today,' Gov. Maura Healey said. 'I was honored to sign this law renaming the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center after Mayor Menino because it is a wonderful way to pay tribute to his amazing legacy and send a strong message that Boston is a place to be for people and businesses from around the world.' The name change was included in an economic development law that Healey signed in November. Sen. Nick Collins, the South Boston Democrat who represents the Seaport, said the relatively new neighborhood of Boston 'would not be what it is today without the late Mayor Tom Menino.' Collins pointed to Menino's collaboration with state and federal lawmakers to develop the Seaport and open the BCEC in 2004. Menino served on the Boston City Council before he served as mayor. 'That's why so many of our colleagues in the Legislature joined in supporting the renaming with a near unanimous vote on the economic development bill last session,' Collins said. The late mayor's widow said the entire Menino family is grateful for 'this incredible honor.' 'Tommy believed in the potential of every neighborhood in our city, and in the power of development to improve people's lives. We thank our legislative leadership for acknowledging his legacy and his vision for how this convention center would lead to the transformation of Boston's Seaport,' Angela Menino said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
04-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Night bites: Boston launches new late-night food truck program
The lottery will take place on June 6 at 4 p.m. Those interested in participating can fill out this 'My very first efforts in city government working under Mayor Menino focused on improving the restaurant permitting process and launching food trucks in Boston,' Wu Corean Reynolds, the city's director of nightlife economy, said the program will address the need for more dining options after hours. Advertisement 'The creation of the Late Night Food Truck program is about more than just meals — it's about unlocking new opportunities for Boston's entrepreneurs and increasing access to late night food,' Reynolds said in the statement. District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan described the program as a 'win for small businesses, those getting off a late shift, students finishing a long study session, and folks enjoying a night out.' Jen Faigel, co-founder and executive director of Advertisement 'We're thrilled to see this idea coming to life,' Faigel said in the statement. Below are the seven locations and their hours of operations. Theater District & Tufts Medical Center (135 Stuart St.) Fridays and Saturdays 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fenway Entertainment District (163 Ipswich St.) Fridays and Saturdays 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Roadrunner (38 Life St.) Concert Dates 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Boston Medical Center (775 Harrison Ave.) Monday through Sunday 24 hours a day Faneuil Hall Thursday through Saturday 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Boylston Street and Clarendon Street Monday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Northeastern University (60 Opera Place) Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Emily Sweeney can be reached at
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boston launches new "Late-Night Food Truck" program for summer eats
Insomniacs with a major cheeseburger jones, this one's for you. Mayor Michelle Wu's office announced Saturday that the city is launching its new "Late Night Food Truck Program," aimed at bringing treats to places where people are working late or are stumbling out of clubs and bars and find themselves in need of a snack. This new program will led by the city's Office of Nightlife Economy. 'My very first efforts in city government working under Mayor Menino focused on improving the restaurant permitting process and launching food trucks in Boston,' Wu said in a statement. 'Fifteen years later, I'm excited to continue creating opportunities for our food businesses and to make our city vibrant, welcoming, and fun,' the mayor continued. 'I encourage interested food truck operators to register for the lottery for a chance to operate at a late-night location this summer and fall.' A lottery to operate near the seven sites near hospitals, universities, music venues, and nightlife districts will take place on June 6 at 4 p.m. If you're a food truck operator and you want in, you should sign up using this online form by Wednesday, June 4. You'll also need all the requisite documents to vend in the city. You can find a list of those required documents is available at this link. The new late-night program is 'about more than just meals—it's about unlocking new opportunities for Boston's entrepreneurs and increasing access to late-night food,' Corean Reynolds, the city's director of nightlife economy, said. 'This initiative is a direct response to conversations with residents, workers, and businesses, as they consistently indicated to me the need for more food options after hours.' District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan called the effort a 'win for small businesses, those getting off a late shift, students finishing a long study session, and folks enjoying a night out.' 'It also gives small businesses a new opportunity to connect with customers,' Durkan said. The city will announce the list of winning vendors in June, with the late-night program running until this fall. Business owners and the foodservice industry welcomed the new effort. 'Being able to serve food later into the evening is a key part of continuing to make the city more vibrant and livelier,' Josh Bhatti, the senior vice president for The Bowery Presents, said. 'Providing food for concertgoers and our staff along with creating business opportunities for others is something that has been much needed in the city. I applaud the Mayor for pushing this initiative forward.' 'With so many employers offering lunch to incentivize workers to come back to the office, Boston's food truck community is still struggling to recover from the impact of COVID,' Jen Faigel, the co-founder and executive director of CommonWealth Kitchen, said. Longtime Market Basket execs say they expect to be sacked amid company's turmoil Boston Red Sox prospect (Mass. native) promoted to High A; The Password stays hot High bacteria levels prompt closures for these Mass. beaches More than 30 pizzerias to be at New England's largest pizza festival in June Downtown Boston zoning changes could allow buildings up to 700 feet tall Read the original article on MassLive.
