DNC organizers expand their plan to house media

Democratic National Convention organizers will build a temporary two-story structure on the site of the old Boston Garden to house members of the media during this July's four-day event.

The move comes after media representatives sharply criticized organizers for not making adequate preparations for the 15,000 members of the media expected at the convention.

In December, convention officials said they were considering a series of makeshift arrangements -- including an outdoor tent, the North Station train platforms, and an underground parking garage -- that may have forced journalists to go through metal detectors every time they traveled between their workspaces and the FleetCenter.

Jim Drinkard, a member of the media committee that is helping arrange press accommodations for the convention, said yesterday that he needs to see more details, but is encouraged by what convention officials are now outlining. He said he was particularly pleased that all 190,000 square feet of print media workspace will be within the security perimeter meaning journalists can travel freely between the convention hall and their filing areas.

"It looks like they have heard us and have responded," said Drinkard, a political reporter for USA Today and a member of the Standing Committee of Correspondents in Washington. "It doesn't answer all the questions, but the fact that the workspace is all going to be within the security perimeter meets a very high priority for us."

The temporary structure will have an elevator, hard walls, and a tent-style roof, and will be similar to structures at this summer's Olympic Games in Athens. In addition, convention officials said they would lease approximately 100,000 square feet in 226 Causeway St., a recently renovated 12-story building adjacent to the FleetCenter.

"We selected two sites that are undoubtedly our best choice for media workspace," said Rod O'Connor, CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee.

Drinkard said he believes the space set aside by convention organizers will be adequate, but added that it's impossible to know that for sure because media organizations are still outlining coverage plans. This year's convention in Boston is being held in a dense urban neighborhood, and planners have had a difficult time finding room for all necessary arrangements.

Convention officials said they had not yet chosen a vendor to construct the temporary structure, and declined to discuss costs. But a spokeswoman for Boston 2004, the convention's host committee, said all media arrangements will be covered by the $5 million budgeted to be spent on media workspace preparations.

"We are completely within our budget for media workspace," Grant said.