NGAMA recently won a competitive selection process with several other states to host the NGAUS General Conference and Exhibition scheduled for 2020. For the last six months many NGAMA members have been working on creating and contributing to the NGAMA Boston 2020 proposal. On November 14th, NGAMA representatives led by Association President MAJ Nick Macsata presented the proposal to the NGAUS Committee on the General Conference. The Committee on the General Conference voted to recommend to the NGAUS Board of Directors to award the bid to NGAMA’s Boston 2020 team. The next day the NGAUS Board of Directors approved the Committee’s recommendation. The NGAUS Board of Directors also awarded the 2019 Conference to Denver, Colorado.
Boston had not hosted a NGAUS Conference since 1994. The Boston 2020 team was made up of NGAMA members as well as a representative of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC). The Boston 2020 team proposed a Conference to be held August 28-August 31, 2020. The Business meetings would be held at the BCEC. Other events would be held at Fenway Park, the Seaport World Trade Center, the Harpoon Brewery and the John F Kennedy Presidential Library. A Fun Run would be held around Castle Island and Fort Independence and the NGAUS Golf Tournament would be held at the International Golf Course. Religious services would be held at the Old North Church.
The Boston 2020 proposal also included several innovative ideas. The Boston proposal was presented as a New England regional proposal. This proposal included letters of support from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It also included several partnerships with colleges and universities including Harvard, Emerson and the Berklee College of Music.
The NGAMA proposal also included letters of support from Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. It is estimated that the NGAUS Conference brings to the host city between $7-10 million. The proposal was strengthen by the fact that so much new development, including hotels is planned for the Boston Seaport District. It is estimated that by 2020, NGAMA will be able to house approximately 80% of the Conference attendees within walking distance of the BCEC. The NGAUS Conference draws the top military leaders in the country, Congressional leaders as well as the largest military trade show. Typically 4,000 people attend the NGAUS Conference.
NGAMA now plans on forming a Boston 2020 Committee to lead the planning efforts for this task. The Committee will have various subcommittees including an Event Committee, a Fundraising Committee, and a Communications Committee. Any NGAMA members interested in serving on these NGAUS Conference Committees should email us at [email protected].