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Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley leads a Massachusetts Marketing Partnership meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
Allison Kuznitz |SHNS
With marquee tourism events fast approaching in Massachusetts, state economic development leaders on Wednesday hyped up their progress so far on MA 250 and FIFA World Cup planning.
"I know things have been really trending in an aggressively positive trajectory," Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley said of preparations for the 250th anniversary of the country's independence, as he kicked off a Massachusetts Marketing Partnership meeting.
The state awarded nearly 60 grants this fiscal year, with about 45 that are now "contracted and ready to go," said Sheila Green, MA 250 coordinator at the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Combined with the prior fiscal year, almost 100 awards have gone out to communities across the state, she said.
Commemorative events are underway for Knox Trail 250, which began in January in Great Barrington and will reach Dorchester Heights for Evacuation Day on March 17. Organizers describe it as a "sequenced program ... designed to represent the Henry Knox Noble Train of Artillery of 1776, the catalyst for what we now recognize in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Evacuation Day."
"We remain focused on ensuring Massachusetts 250 is inclusive, accessible and meaningful to all our residents and visitors," Green said. "The priority moving forward is coordination and readiness, making sure communities feel supported and audiences are well-equipped to engage with Massachusetts 250 and their revolutionary history throughout this year and beyond."
Beyond the signature July 4 fireworks on the Esplanade, the commonwealth will also be busy this summer hosting seven World Cup matches.
The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism is working to distribute the $10 million the Legislature has appropriated for the World Cup, said Deputy Director Charlie Ticotsky. Gov. Maura Healey, who had sought $20 million, signed the funding package on Nov. 24.
Paley, asked by the News Service about additional funding he's seeking from Beacon Hill leaders to pull off the World Cup, said, "I'm not going to comment on our discussions with the Legislature on this right now."
A recent Executive Office of Public Safety and Security report raised concerns about the status of planning for the World Cup, including FIFA FanFest that's expected to be a major public viewing area. Officials warned that "planning, coordination and preparation is limited" until a location is identified.
"We're going to have a fantastic FIFA this summer," Paley said when asked about the report. "There's a lot of work we're all going to do together to get there, but it's going to be amazing. So I suggest everyone participate in whatever way, whether coming out for the actual matches, or watching it with friends in bars around the city or in homes. It's going to be awesome."
In the lead-up to the World Cup, Ticotsky pointed out that Brazil and France will face off in a friendly match on March 26 in Foxborough. It will mark France's first time playing at Gillette Stadium, while it will be Brazil's sixth appearance, organizers say.
Massport is making website upgrades as it prepares for travelers coming for the World Cup, said chief marketing officer John Raftery. That includes testing an AI pilot for website users to ask "real-time questions" about FIFA and potentially adding information about TSA wait times, Raftery said.
Massport officials are also finalizing a remote Logan terminal in Framingham, with a teaser event eyed this spring with Healey and other elected officials, Raftery said. The terminal is expected to debut this summer and initially serve Delta and JetBlue customers.
"This will be a terminal in Framingham, in a separate building from Framingham Logan Express, where people can come in, check in for their flight, get security clearance, and then hop on a bus, and then they will be delivered post-security, airfield side," said Raftery, who estimates 200 to 300 people will use the terminal daily.
Future remote terminals could crop up in Boston and Braintree.
"This would just be a way to help with congestion on roadways, improve the passenger experience," Raftery said.
Massport next week will dedicate a Terminal C gate for former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, featuring old seats from TD Garden, a framed jersey, photos and a Chara silhouette, Raftery said.
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Legally Blonde, which includes lead character Elle Woods attending Harvard Law School.
"There's probably going to be some kind of hoopla or installations around Cambridge," said Massachusetts Film Office Director Meg Jarrett.
The meeting agenda called for updates from the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, though no representative was on hand Wednesday. The agency, which has faced turmoil and leadership turnover in recent years, this month tapped John Barros as interim executive director and CEO.
Alison Kuznitz is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts.
