Convention center, Hynes accounted for $494.2m

The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center generated $494.2 million in economic impact in the 2007 fiscal year ended June 30, according to a report released by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority today.

The 247events at the two venues attracted 852,728 attendees, up 22.5 percent from the prior year. Attendees on average each spent $40 per day on shopping and nearly $50 per day on dining.

They booked 602,112 hotel roomnights -- an industry measure of one room occupied for one night -- and accounted for 14 percent of all the city's hotel roomnights for the year. It cost $41.8 million to run the two venues.
(By Nicole C. Wong, Globe staff)