BEHIND THE SCENES.
♪ TED: AT 2.1 MILLION SQUARE FEET, THE BOSTON CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER IS ONE OF THE LARGEST HOLDINGS IN NEW ENGLAND.
LOCATED IN THE SEAPORT, THE BUILDING IS AS LONG AS THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IS HIGH.
BESIDES THE BCEC, THE CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY OWNS AND OPERATES THE LAWN ON D, THE HYNES CONVENTION CENTER, A GARAGE, AND THE MUTUAL CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD.
DAVE GIBBONS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MCCA.
>> IT IS THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL.
DOCTORS, LAWYERS, FINANCIERS, ENGINEERS, THEY COME HERE.
TED: HE CONSIDERS THE LOCATION AS A PRIME LOCATION.
>> >> EXCEPT THE HOTEL BEING BUILT, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE LOGAN AND GET TO BOSTON FAST.
YOU ARE SEVEN MINUTES FROM HERE.
TED: HE GAVE US A PRIVATE TOUR.
WHAT IS THE CUTOFF WHERE YOU SAY I NEED A GOLF CART FOR THIS?
IT IS LIKE A QUARTER-MILE.
>> 3.5 YEARS I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN ON A GOLF CART.
TED: I HIT MY GOAL JUST LOOKING AT THIS PLACE.
YOU DON’T APPRECIATE UNTIL YOU ARE ON THE FLOOR.
>> HOW MASSIVE THIS IS.
TED: WHETHER IT IS DURING THE SHOW, AFTER THE SHOW, LOGISTICS ARE AMAZING.
LOADING DOCKS ARE ON THE SAME LEVEL.
THIS IS JUST ONE EXHIBIT.
THERE IS ANOTHER NOT USED KIND HERE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING HERE?
>> THERE IS 200 OR 300 EMPLOYEES HERE.
TED: AND THEN HUNDREDS OF PRIVATE CONTRACTORS.
>> WE RENT YOU AN EMPTY BOX AND YOU BRING IN THE DIFFERENT CONTRACT PLAYERS.
THERE CAN BE A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE ON THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE TEAM.
THEY ARE HERE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS.
TED: MORE THAN 300 EVENTS WERE HELD AT THE BCEC AND THE HEINZ LAST YEAR, ATTENDED BY 800,000 PEOPLE GENERATING 600,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS AND $870 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE
COMMONWEALTH.
GIBBONS TAKES US ON A TOUR OF THE KITCHEN, THE LARGEST SUCH FACILITY IN MASSACHUSETTS.
>> WE HAVE THE WOMEN’S LUNCH, FEED 10,000 PEOPLE.
THAT IS AN OPERATION THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
TED: HOW MANY DAYS?
>> ONE MEAL.
THAT IS 10,000.
TED: THE CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN IS THE BIGGEST EVENT FOR THE CULINARY TEAM AT THE BCEC, BUT THEY ARE USED TO OPERATING ON A LARGE SCALE.
>> A FEW DECEMBERS AGO IT WAS A GRILLED SALAD AND IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THAT WE DID THREE TIMES OF KALE.
-- TED: THREE TONS OF KALE.
AND HE SAYS THE BCEC CAN GO THROUGH 1000 GALLONS A DAY.
ORDERING INGREDIENTS CAN GET COMPLICATED.
THEY TRIED TO LOCALLY SOURCE AS MANY ITEMS AS THEY CAN.
>> THE PRODUCTS THAT TRAVEL SO FAR, IT IS LONGER AND I THINK IT IS A NICE PRODUCT.
TED: WHEN ORDERING BY THE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS, TIMING IS KEY.
THE TEAM IS USUALLY PREPPING MEALS FOR CROWDS BETWEEN 1000 AND 3000.
>> IT IS DIFFICULT TO FEED 1000 AS 100.
IT REQUIRES A FEW MORE ZEROS AND MORE TIME AND PLANNING.
WE TRY TO PROVIDE ENOUGH OF A VARIETY FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY A GOOD MEAL AND NOT HAVE TOO MUCH LEFT OVER.
TED: EXTRA FOOD BECOMES THE STAFF MEAL THE FOLLOWING DAY, SHIFTS AS EARLY AS 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND CAN END JUST AS LATE.
>> FOOD FOR A QUARTER-MILE.
IT IS NOT THE EASIEST THING TO DO.
THEY ARE HEAVY AND HOT.
WE WANT TO WALK THROUGH THE DOORS AND HAVE A GREAT MEAL AND BE HERE WITH ANOTHER 10,000 PEOPLE IN A MEETING.
WE WOULD LIKE THE FOOD TO BE FANTASTIC.
IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING DELICIOUS WE ENJOY EATING.
THE FIRST PERSON THROUGH THE LINE AND LAST PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE.
SHAYNA: SO MUCH STUFF AND TED SAYS THERE IS MORE OUR CAMERAS COULD NOT SEE.
ANTHONY: THEY HAVE AN INTERESTING COMPOSTING PROGRAMS.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS THAT SAVE $100,000 A YEAR.
OF PEOPLE ON THE BUILDING ALONE IS $40 MILLION A YEAR.
-- UPKEEP ON THE BUILDING ALONE