Boston convention center to be renamed after Mayor Tom Menino

Flashback: Menino led the city from 1993 to 2014 and was the driving force behind the development of the BCEC and turning the South Boston Waterfront into the thriving Seaport neighborhood.

• Menino was motivated to develop a standalone convention center that could compete with other major halls after losing the 1999 MacWorld expo to New York.

What they're saying: "The Waterfront would not be what it is today without the late Mayor Tom Menino," State Sen. Nick Collins said in a statement.

Zoom in: The BCEC turned Boston into a major convention destination when it opened in 2004.

• It hosted 136 events with over 500,000 attendees last year alone.
• An official renaming ceremony is scheduled for July 12.
• The Legislature approved the renaming last year.

💭 Deehan's thought bubble: But is it disrespectful to call it "the Mumbles Center?"