Opened in 2004, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is the largest convention center in New England and certainly the biggest of the meeting facilities in Boston. Designed with input from professionals across all industry sectors, the Boston meeting facility boasts striking architecture, exceptional service and unparalleled technology. With 516,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space and 10 possible configurations, the center can accommodate almost any floor plan. A 40,020-square-foot, column-free ballroom creates a blank canvas that can be transformed for a variety of functions. Additionally, more than 300,000 square feet of registration and function space and 160,000 square feet of flexible meeting space are available. A strategically planned layout provides visitors with access to any part of the building in no more than eight minutes. From full-service catering provided by ARAMARK to a food court with seating for up to 700 people, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center offers many amenities for visitors. Wi-Fi enabled Internet access and mobile phone service are available throughout the building. Two private ring roads, 62 covered loading bays and five elephant doors with direct access to the exhibition floor make set up and breakdown for large conventions a breeze. Additionally, an in-house audio-visual company can assist with basic needs as well as exhibitor rentals, computer rentals, simultaneous interpretation support, audience response systems, general session production, staging, webcasting and projection services. In an effort to go green, the center has taken steps such as installing water-saving fixtures in bathrooms, placing recycling bins in all meeting rooms, and using water coolers instead of individual bottles. The state-of-the-art facility is located just two miles from Logan Airport and has direct access to the Silver Line. More than 35,000 hotel rooms are nearby.