AMERICAS - The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) has drawn up plans to seize a privately-owned lot on D Street behind the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, in a move towards expanding the South Boston exhibition hall, according to The Boston Herald newspaper.

The MCCA plans to build two mid-priced hotels and multi-level parking garages on the US$33m, 5.6 acres of land if it can acquire it from Boston-based real estate investment firm, Intercontinental Real Estate Corp.

The MCCA bid would halt a housing project for a 585-unit residential complex that had started to move forward.

The convention centre authority's board discussed a "land acquisition" yesterday (1 August) in a closed-door session, and issued a statement saying "it was no secret" that it had been looking for land acquisition to support its planned expansion and hotel developments.

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