City warns state authority to not lock main doors during large events at convention center

The Boston Licensing Board voted yesterday to issue a warning to the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority over an incident at the Pax East show in April in which security guards locked a front entrance at the South Boston convention center to funnel attendees into metal-detector lines.

The vote by commissioners Keeana Saxon and Liam Curran - board Chairwoman Christine Pulgini was not present - means little unless the authority is cited again for similar problems.

BPD detectives cited the authority on April 7 saying the locked and duct-taped door could have caused problems if Pax goers had to suddenly flee the convention center in an emergency.

At a hearing on Tuesday, they told the board that when they arrived for a routine inspection, a large cluster of attendees were near the shut door trying to get out - and that it took at least ten minutes for a security guard to retrieve a key.

Authority officials disputed that, saying a guard with a key was standing right at the door and that in any event, the center has lots of exits - and workers to get people out quickly.