BGS Opens Its 77th Year in a Brand New Venue
By Staf -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 6/1/2005
In April, with the snip of a giant scissors, George Little Management chairman Will Little welcomed exhibitors and buyers, and officially opened the spring Boston Gift Show (BGS) in its new home at the state-of-the-art Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). Joining Little and BGS show manager Tony Orlando for the ceremonial snip were Stan Cornwall Sr. and Stan Cornwall Jr. of Cornwall Marketing Group, Surjit Goraya of S.S. Sarna, and Ed Lynch of Sun Glo, representing companies that have exhibited with the Boston Gift Show since the 1920s.
“We're very happy to be in the beautiful new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center — the fifth venue in the show's 77-year history,” noted Will Little in his opening remarks. “The show has come a long way since its launch in 1926, and we're excited about its future in this beautiful new facility.”
After the ribbon-cutting, buyers streamed into the exhibition hall where more than 650 exhibitors were set up in 516,000 square feet of space that can be subdivided into as many as ten different sections. Two glass-enclosed pedestrian bridges span the exhibit hall connecting both sides of the building, and the show floor is fully WiFi (wireless fidelity) enabled with a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network. In addition, the facility houses 82 meeting rooms, all wired for audio/visual, Internet, and computer access; a 40,020 square-foot ballroom with an adjacent pre-function area that provides a great view of the Boston skyline; and food service including a food court. A headquarters hotel linked to the BCEC is currently under construction, and is set to open in the summer of 2006.
Built in South Boston, the BCEC site is part of the former harbor that was filled during the 19th century, and is now a waterfront redevelopment initiative. When completed, the area will include retail, recreational, and commercial spaces such as hotels, restaurants, and parking.
The next Boston Gift Show is set to take place September 10–13 at the BCEC, and will be joined by Jubilee, the National Gift Basket Convention.
