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BOSTON-A special state commission's recommendation to turn aportion of the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center onBoylston Street into retail space could prove to be a boom for thestruggling venue, real estate insiders tell GlobeSt.com. The statecommission recommended converting the convention center's groundlevel into retail space following a study commissioned by thelegislature.

The legislative study came after Gov. Mitt Romney advocatedselling the state-owned building because he said it is no longerneeded now that the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center hasopened in South Boston. In a report released Tuesday, however, thepanel found that the city would lose convention business fromsmaller groups if it sold the Hynes and suggested that the stateretain ownership of the building, and convert the first floor toretail.