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Looking for a mid-size city for your mid-size convention? Consider Springfield, Massachusetts, on the Connecticut River in Western Massachusetts, 90 minutes from Boston and 20 minutes from Hartford.
The destination’s regional association and SMERF business is robust, and now it would like to build a following of conventions from the Mid-Atlantic region and small national conventions. Groups of 400 to 1,000 best fit its 100,000-square-foot MassMutual Convention Center.
To attract such groups, Explore Western Mass is offering incentives for new bookings it receives for conventions and conferences held before December 31, 2026, that meet these requirements: 400 or more attendees, use of the MassMutual Convention Center, minimum 150 rooms on peak, Sunday-Tuesday arrival and a minimum two-night stay. Qualified bookings can choose three of six offered incentives: reception or break enhancements (value up to $2,500), two comped breakout rooms, 50 parking vouchers for the new MassMutual Center CarPark, a $100 gift card for the meeting planner, two VIP amenities valued at up to $50, or up to 1,000 visitor guides and logoed items for gift bags.
The incentives are a way to welcome new conventions to a city that’s known for its easy access, safe and walkable downtown and ample hotel rooms.
Interstates 90 and 91 intersect in Springfield, and each connects to other major interstates. New England’s second-largest airport, Bradley International, is 17 miles south. In addition to all major airline carriers, its daily Aer Lingus flight to Ireland links Bradley and Western MA to 26 international destinations. Amtrak makes daily stops at Springfield Union Station.
Plenty of full-service hotels
Downtown Springfield differs from comparable, nearby destinations in several ways. With seven downtown hotels, it has plenty of rooms to support the convention center. The two largest full-service hotels, the 325-key Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place, and the newly renovated 266-room Marriott Springfield Downtown are just 120 steps from the main entrance of the MassMutual Center.
MGM Springfield supplies energy, entertainment and activities to the downtown convention center district. In addition to a 240-room boutique-style hotel, the complex includes a casino, a 7-screen movie theater with luxury recliner seating, a bowling alley, Top Golf, a comedy club, bars, a variety of casual and full-service restaurants, and live entertainment. It is conveniently located across the street from the MassMutual Convention Center, which is also managed by MGM.
Diverse dining
Springfield is a place where visitors feel at ease. Attendees are comfortable walking to favorites like Student Prince and The Fort, where German beers wash down giant pretzels and goulash, and Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, recently voted “Best Restaurant in Springfield.”
Downtown dining is diverse with Indian, Italian, BBQ and Mexican among the international cuisines. Two breweries are favorite gathering spots.
Downtown is also rich in museums. A block from the convention center, the Springfield Museums campus includes five museums that cover art, fine arts, local history, science, and at the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, the whimsical art and well-loved tales of Theodor Geisel, a Springfield native. Sports can also be part of the itinerary, from a night out at the resident Thunderbirds AHL hockey team game at the MassMutual Convention Center, to evening receptions at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, since Springfield is the birthplace of basketball.
Restaurants, attractions, stores and public safety officials always know who’s in town, thanks to Alicia Szenda, vice president of sales for Explore Western Mass. Each month, she sends them an email with important information about arriving conventions, including their schedules and attendees’ free times.
More parking, outdoor space
Overlooking the newly renovated Court Square plaza and historic district, the MassMutual Convention Center doesn’t feel confining. Boasting floor-to-ceiling windows along Main Street, the convention center is inviting and welcoming. New digital monitors for each meeting room make attendees’ wayfinding easier; outside, a new multi-million dollar digital marquee and street kiosk informs passersby about upcoming events. Directly adjacent, a new 900 space parking garage is set to open late spring of 2025, and soon after, an outdoor plaza.
Like Springfield, the convention center is mid-size and manageable. That’s something meeting planners often appreciate, says James Boucher, director of sales at the MassMutual Convention Center. “This is not a convention center where you are one of several ongoing conventions. Being the big fish in the smaller city is a big selling point.”
For more information:
Meet Western Mass
Alicia Szenda, VP of Sales
Explore Western Mass
413-755-1346
