IDG WORLD EXPO AND THE CITY OF BOSTON BRING MACWORLD HOME
After six years in New York, world’s largest Mac tradeshow returns in 2004;
will be inaugural event at new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
BOSTON, October 17, 2002 – IDG World Expo, the leading producer of
world-class tradeshows, conferences and events for IT markets around the
globe, today announced that the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
(BCEC) will be home to Macworld Conference & Expo July 12-15, 2004. The
tradeshow, which drew more than 58,000 attendees in July 2002 and is the
world’s most comprehensive Mac OS event, will remain at New York City’s
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in July 2003 before becoming the first
event in Boston’s newest convention center the following year.
Macworld Conference & Expo spent 13 of its 18 years in Boston, before
outgrowing available space distributed among three convention facilities.
In 1998, Macworld was moved to New York City and, over the next few years,
grew to become that city’s largest technology tradeshow.
The tradeshow’s homecoming was coordinated by IDG World Expo, the Office of
the Mayor of Boston, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, the
Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and a concerted effort by the
city’s hospitality community. With the completion of the new BCEC in 2004,
Boston will again have the necessary space to accommodate the event =BE this
time under one roof.
“I am proud to announce that Macworld is coming back to Boston, where it
was born, and where it belongs,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “I want to
thank and congratulate all the parties that worked diligently to negotiate
this milestone agreement, particularly North End native Charlie Greco. I
look forward with great anticipation to July 12, 2004, when Macworld will
christen the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. I cannot think of a
more appropriate catalyst to propel our convention and hospitality industry
into the new millennium.”
“IDG World Expo is excited to bring Macworld back home to Boston in 2004
for its 20th anniversary,” said IDG World Expo President and CEO Charlie
Greco. “We have had a number of successful years in New York, but we’re
also eager to return to the loyal audience that’s based in Boston. With the
support of so many exhibitors and attendees, we are confident that Macworld
will bring upwards of $40 million in revenues to the city. Mayor Menino,
the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Massachusetts Convention Center
Authority deserve much credit for their hard work, which ultimately paved
the way for Macworld’s return.”
The agreement to bring Macworld back to Boston, negotiated over the course
of this summer, was designed specifically to provide tangible benefits to
regionally-based businesses, Macworld exhibitors and Macworld attendees.
Highlights of the agreement include:
* Three years of secured dates in the new convention center initially, with
two additional years of secured dates optional
* Significant exhibitor discounts on exhibitor-related services, such as
electrical, telephone and catering services
* Reduced rates at a number of quality Boston hotels, with most priced at
$150 per night with price caps to ensure continued savings for upcoming
Macworld events
* Specially arranged transportation services and discounts for exhibitors
and attendees, consisting of local shuttles, bus transport, trains and air
travel
* A variety of promotions to generate excitement about and participation in
Macworld, ranging from indoor and outdoor banner and billboard signage to
hospitality support
* Use of the city’s Parkman House in the week leading up to and including
Macworld
* Use of the courtyard at the Boston Public Library for special Macworld
functions
* Special discount cards for exhibitors and attendees to be used at
Boston-based dining and entertainment venues
“Macworld will return to a dramatically different Boston than it left in
1998,” said Pat Moscaritolo, president of the Greater Boston Convention &
Visitors Bureau. “With its new state-of-the-art convention center and
significantly improved offerings, Boston will easily be able to accommodate
a world-class tradeshow such as Macworld.”
“This news is fabulous, and it’s so fitting that a world class event like
Macworld will be the first event at our brand new, world class convention
center,” said Gloria Larson, chairman of the Massachusetts Convention
Center Authority. “In the years to come, Boston will realize a huge
economic return on its investment in the convention center, and I can’t
think of a better way to kick that off than by bringing Macworld back to
Boston in July of 2004.”
“Sonnet has been a Macworld exhibitor for over 12 years, and our first
Boston show was in 1991,” recalls Sonnet Technologies President and CEO
Robert Farnsworth. “We still have fond memories of Boston and the
excitement and energy that those early Macworld shows generated. We look
forward to returning to one of the Mac community’s most nostalgic locales,
and to enjoying the new conference facilities and the wonderful historical
charm of the city of Boston.”
Macworld Conference & Expo attracts Mac enthusiasts from around the globe
who want to network with their peers, check out the latest products and
services for the Mac and learn valuable skills from industry experts.
Macworld has long been the largest technology tradeshow in San Francisco,
which remains its home on the West Coast.
The next Macworld Conference & Expo will be held at San Francisco’s Moscone
Center, January 6-10, 2003. For more information on the upcoming event,
please visit www.macworldexpo.com.
About Macworld Conference & Expo
Owned and produced by Framingham Mass.-based IDG World Expo, Macworld
Conference & Expo is the world’s most comprehensive Macintosh OS event.
Macworld Conference & Expo showcases products and services for
professionals involved in media and creative content development for
corporate and home applications, as well as consumers using the Mac at
home. Macworld Conference & Expo brings together the loyal base of Mac OS
audiences in creative services, education, application development,
entertainment, small office/home office and Internet-based environments.
Macworld Conference & Expo offers professionals and consumers alike the
opportunity to discover the latest developments and hottest products these
markets offer. For more information, please visit the Web site at
www.macworldexpo.com.
About IDG World Expo
IDG World Expo (www.idgworldexpo.com) produces IT-focused tradeshows,
conferences and events for professionals seeking world-class education,
peer-to-peer networking and one-stop comparison shopping. As the leading IT
event management company, IDG World Expo leverages its experience and
knowledge of IT-focused events and conferences, enabling technology
companies to capture the attention and loyalty of influential buyers. IDG
World Expo’s portfolio of conferences and events includes Macworld
Conference & Expo, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo, BioITWorld Conference &
Expo, COMNET Conference & Expo, Integrated Security Conference & Expo and
BiometricsWorld Conference & Expo. IDG World Expo is a business unit of
IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research and event company.
About IDG
IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers and offers online
users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world
through IDG.net (www.idg.net), which comprises more than 330 targeted Web
sites in 80 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168
computer-related events worldwide, and IDG’s research company, IDC,
provides global market intelligence and advice through 51 offices in 43
countries. Company information is available at www.idg.com.