State Spotlight:
Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a sports enthusiast’s paradise. As the birthplace of both basketball and volleyball, the Bay State is steeped in athletic history and culture. Whether it’s playing, watching, or organizing an event, Massachusetts offers a vibrant and dynamic sports scene that appeals to all. “Beyond the history books, Massachusetts fosters champions,” says the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism executive director Kate Fox. “Think pristine ice rinks that will host prestigious events like the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships, renowned track and field icons like New Balance, and championship golf courses welcoming major tournaments like the LPGA coming later this summer. We have world-class facilities, passionate fans, and the expertise to make sporting events unforgettable.”

State Spotlight:
Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a sports enthusiast’s paradise. As the birthplace of both basketball and volleyball, the Bay State is steeped in athletic history and culture. Whether it’s playing, watching, or organizing an event, Massachusetts offers a vibrant and dynamic sports scene that appeals to all. “Beyond the history books, Massachusetts fosters champions,” says the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism executive director Kate Fox. “Think pristine ice rinks that will host prestigious events like the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships, renowned track and field icons like New Balance, and championship golf courses welcoming major tournaments like the LPGA coming later this summer. We have world-class facilities, passionate fans, and the expertise to make sporting events unforgettable.”

Boston

Boston is the state capital and the state’s largest city. The city offers rich history, top-notch venues and thousands of hotel rooms, not to mention plenty of attractions for pre- or post-event fun.

Hotel Rooms: 26,000
Major Facilities:
  • TD Garden is a multipurpose arena with a capacity of 19,600
  • Fenway Park is a 37,731-seat ballpark
  • Gillette Stadium is a football stadium with a capacity of 65,878
Convention Center:

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center boasts 516,000 square feet of column-free, contiguous space. Hynes Convention Center features 176,480 square feet of flexible space.

Contact:

Greater Boston CVB, bostonusa.com.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod is comprised of 15 towns along with the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. The region offers sports event planners an extraordinary array of venues for events and boasts 559.6 miles of coastline.

Hotel Rooms: 18,000
Major Facilities:
  • Hyannis Youth & Community Center includes two ice rinks and a 12,500-square-foot wood floor gym
  • McKeon Field/Lowell Park offers a baseball field
  • McBarron Field is used for soccer
Contact:

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, CapeCodChamber.org.

Discover Central Massachusetts

Central Massachusetts offers a blend of rich sports history, diverse facilities, and a vibrant community that embraces a variety of sports. Its central location in New England makes it accessible for regional tournaments and events.

Hotel Rooms: 1,500-plus
Major Facilities:
  • Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center is a state-of-the-art private multi-use recreational center for athletes of all ages. The facility features two NHL regulation ice surfaces, sports rehabilitation, strength training, and 10,000 square feet of space.
  • Maxwell Luciano’s Banquet and Conference Center at Union Station is a central hub of transportation transformed for celebrations of all kinds; can accommodate up to 600 guests.
  • The Hogan Center has 18,000 square feet of flexible meeting and function space able to accommodate 12 to 100 guests. The Ballroom can accommodate up to 500 guests, and includes a stage and built-in technology.
Convention Center:

The DCU Center has 100,000 square feet of exhibition and display space. The square footage includes a 50,000-square-foot exhibition hall, with an arena floor that provides 30,000 square feet and an arena concourse consisting of 12,000 square feet. In the convention center, there are two ballrooms and nine meeting rooms.

Contact:

Visit us at DiscoverCentralMa.org/Sports & follow us on social media @DiscoverCentralMA

Marlborough

Located at the crossroads of New England, Marlborough is a unique location between Worcester and Boston with access to major interstate highways such as I-495, I-290, and I-90. Home to 11 hotels, Marlborough houses close to 2000 hotel rooms, along with the Apex Center of New England, the region’s largest entertainment complex and Solomon Pond Mall, the area’s largest fashion-shopping destination.

Hotel Rooms: 1898
Hotel tax rate: 11.7 percent
Major Facilities:
  • New England Sports Center has eight full-size indoor rinks and two studio rinks
  • Fore Kicks Outdoor & Indoor Sportsplex is a multi-sport facility with a 135,000-square-foot indoor Megaplex with seven indoor sports fields, as well as two outdoor synthetic grass turf fields
  • Williams Street Baseball fields has three baseball fields
Contact:

Visit Marlborough, visit-marlborough.com.

Merrimack Valley

The Greater Merrimack Valley is just 27 miles northwest of Boston. The area is known for sports like skiing, biking, and fishing.

Hotel Rooms: 7000
Hotel tax rate: 10.7 percent
Major Facilities:
  • The Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is a multipurpose indoor venue
Contact:

Greater Merrimack Valley CVB, merrimackvalley.org.

MetroWest

MetroWest is comprised of numerous cities and towns that are just a 20- to 40-minute drive from Boston or Worcester. It’s location makes it a big draw for the region.

Hotel Rooms: 6100
Major Facilities:
  • Bowditch Athletic Complex is the largest stadium between Boston and Worcester and hosts football, soccer, lacrosse, track, baseball, tennis, and basketball
  • Team Works is a 70,000-square-foot indoor facility with four indoor turf fields
  • New England Baseball Complex has three lighted fields also suitable for softball, soccer, and lacrosse
Contact:

MetroWest Visitors Bureau, metrowestvisitors.org.

North Central Massachusetts

Located just 30 miles from Boston, North Central Massachusetts is a scenic and dynamic New England region that offers an abundance of four season activities for families and groups. From the many farms and orchards and hiking trails, to the world class museums and budding craft beverage industry, the region has something for everyone.

Hotel Rooms: 1400
Hotel tax rate: ranges from 9.7 percent to 11.7 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Massachusetts Youth Soccer Fields at Progin Park has 11 natural grass and five synthetic turf fields
  • Devens Recreation manages 1700 acres of outdoor space
  • Game-On Sports and Performance Center has seven outdoor turf fields
Contact:

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, northcentralmass.com.

Springfield

Springfield is located in Western Massachusetts, which boasts great access via Interstates 90 and 91, along with Bradley International Airport close by.  There are also numerous attractions to enjoy before, during, and after the event.

Hotel Rooms: 1366 downtown; 6000 regionwide
Hotel tax rate: 13.45 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Eastern States Exposition is a 175-acre facility with 355,000 square feet of space on one level, including a 5000-seat arena, and outdoor space
Convention Center:

Downtown Springfield’s MassMutual Convention Center houses an 8,000-seat arena that hosts a variety of indoor sports, including volleyball, gymnastics, and cheer and dance.

Contact:

Greater Springfield CVB, explorewesternmass.com.