Image Courtesy of Elkus Manfredi Construction of a new Omni Hotel in Boston’s Seaport District got underway this week, as state and City officials, convention, hospitality and tourism leaders, contractors, union workers and community advocates broke ground on the two-acre parcel of Massport-owned land at the corner of Summer and D Streets. The $550 million, 800 square foot complex, scheduled to open in 2020, 1,055 finely appointed guest rooms, including 52 suites that will top out at 21 floors. Select suites will feature views of the Boston Harbor. When completed, it will be Boston’s fourth largest hotel. The hotel will be an important asset to the state’s convention industry. Situated across the street from the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), the new hotel will house approximately 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space that includes the largest hotel ballroom in Boston’s Seaport District, along with breakout rooms, outdoor and pre-function spaces. Governor Charlie Baker said the project “will lead to expanded economic opportunities for many businesses within the Commonwealth. Our administration looks forward to continuing to work together with partners at the local level and in the private sector to support economic development in communities across Massachusetts.” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said, “Today marks more than just a groundbreaking, it’s a celebration of the diversity and inclusion this project represents from its design, to its contracting, to its nonprofit partners. I look forward to seeing the vision for this hotel come to life, for the benefit of Boston’s residents and visitors alike.” The project will created approximately 1,100 construction jobs and between 700-1,000 permanent hospitality jobs. And it is groundbreaking in diversity participation and inclusion, and a model for non-profit community partnerships. Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn said the groundbreaking “not only signifies the strong economic progress happening in the city of Boston, but also the fundamental building blocks of opportunity we are creating for our workforce.“ Six local non-profit organizations will receive a portion of the hotel’s profits, including The Edgerley Family South Boston Clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, The South Boston Community Health Center, Julie’s Family Learning Center, Ladies Involved in Putting a Stop To Inner-City Killing (LIPSTICK), The Daniel Marr Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester and the Building Pathways Program, a pre-apprenticeship program that provides construction career opportunities to low-income Boston residents. For more information, visit omnihotels.com. For details about visiting Massachusetts, to MassVacation.com.

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