Contract Signed for Enhancement of Boston's City Hall Plaza

BOSTON - Wednesday, September 7, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of Boston has signed a contract with Boston Garden Development Corporation (BGDC), a subsidiary of Delaware North, owner and operator of TD Garden, as the vendor to enhance City Hall Plaza.  The contract represents the next step forward in Mayor Walsh's commitment to creating a City Hall that is a vibrant public space and welcoming for all.  

"I am pleased about this important next step in our efforts to activate City Hall Plaza, and I thank the Boston Garden Development Corporation for their partnership and creativity in this effort," said Mayor Walsh. "This endeavor is the beginning of a joint venture that will help transform the plaza into a year-round destination, inviting the people of Boston to see the plaza come to life in new and exciting ways." 

"We are truly excited to move forward with this partnership with the City of Boston and get activations started on City Hall Plaza," said Charlie Jacobs, CEO for Delaware North's Boston Holdings.  "City Hall Plaza is the heart of the City, and we share Mayor Walsh's vision to provide a welcoming, enticing communal space that better serves the residents and visitors of Boston.  Delaware North is committed to Boston, and our team is actively working to create an engaging winter experience for the plaza as well as unique activations for every season."  

Winter activations on City Hall Plaza will include New England's first, custom-designed outdoor skating path and a European inspired holiday shopping market.  Skaters of all ages are welcome to try this new twist on the traditional ice rink, a nearly 11,000 gross square foot outdoor ice path that will be open after Thanksgiving through February 2017.  Resident and youth skating programs will be announced at a later date.

At the tree outdoor holiday shopping market, visitors can experience seasonal delicacies and interactive attractions in a celebratory winter atmosphere. The market is set to open after Thanksgiving and continue through New Year's Day 2017, with a mix of local and international vendors and food and beverage offerings housed in individual chalets. 

To kick off the partnership, Boston Garden Development Corporation worked with the City's Property Management Department to test new seating options and will be installing shaded picnic tables on City Hall Plaza that will provide gathering spots for commuters and visitors.   Delaware North will also join Mayor Walsh and the Main Streets Foundation, which supports local business districts in Boston, to sponsor the "Beer Garden on Bricks" programming moving forward.

This past spring, the City of Boston selected Boston Garden Development Corporation to improve City Hall Plaza.  The three-year contract began September 1, 2016.  

The License agreement provides the City of Boston a percentage of the overall annual profitability of all programming, including an escalating sponsorship model. 

Through the City's Operations Cabinet, Boston Garden Development Corporation will develop robust programming for the spring and summer months that works in conjunction with existing municipal commitments and local neighborhood events on the Plaza. Operating collaborators include Rink Management Service Corporation and Millennial Exhibitions.

The RFP for City Hall Plaza is one of several efforts that the Walsh Administration is pursuing to reinvigorate both City Hall and City Hall Plaza. Last year, Mayor Walsh launched RethinkCityHall.org and selected Utile to partner with the City on a City Hall campus plan study, a one-year comprehensive planning process that will serve as a roadmap for the operation and design improvements to City Hall and the plaza.

More information on upcoming events at City Hall Plaza, and vendor information for the holiday shopping market will be posted soon on the City Hall Plaza Facebook page.