LOS ANGELES (July 2, 2024) – Today, the Los Angeles City Council voted
to move the LA Convention Center (LACC) Expansion and Modernization
Project forward. This vote highlights the City’s commitment in
investing in the LACC, an economic engine for the region and a project
that will create thousands of jobs for Angelenos, attract visitors, and
bring new revenue to the City’s General Fund.
The Council approved a design-build delivery model that contracts with a
joint venture of AEG and The Plenary Group to complete the project
before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the upcoming months,
The city will work with AEG, Plenary, Populous (architect) PCL and
Webcor (general contractors) to finalize design plans, schedule and
costs before construction starts in spring 2025.
This expansion project will kickstart needed economic growth in the
region. Local businesses, especially in Downtown L.A., are dependent on
direct and indirect spending from the LACC. The project will draw in
over $165 million in visitor spending each year, and it will create
7,445 new jobs during construction and 2,147 jobs on an ongoing basis.
“Thank you to the City Council for their vision and leadership to
invest in a public infrastructure project that is essential for L.A.’s
future,” said Doane Liu, Chief Tourism Officer and Executive Director
of the City Tourism Department. “Despite being in the second-largest
city in the United States, the LACC is currently a second-tier facility
and we are losing out on business to other cities due to the constraints
of the Convention Center. With this expansion, LACC will become a
premier destination that is able to pursue larger events that bring
visitors to L.A. who spend money at our local hotels, restaurants and
attractions, adding additional revenue to the City’s General Fund.”
Los Angeles has been at a competitive disadvantage in attracting large,
citywide conventions due to the lack of contiguous space, especially as
competitors have completed or are in the process of completing major
expansions. The new construction will connect the two existing South and
West Exhibit Halls by adding 190,000 square feet of space to create one
contiguous hall, and will add 55,000 square feet of new meeting room
space and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space. The plan also
includes a redesign of Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, which will add public open
space and become an exciting outdoor venue for event programming.
“The expansion and modernization of the Los Angeles Convention Center
are critical for the continued recovery of our local economy,” said
Adam Burke, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention
Board. “Citywide conventions support thousands of jobs and hundreds of
businesses across every L.A. region and neighborhood, and we’re
grateful to the City Council for their leadership in advancing this
pivotal initiative with today’s vote. As one of the travel
industry’s premier meeting destinations, we look forward to seeing
this world-class facility come to life.”
“Currently, the LACC hosts nearly 200 events and two million visitors
annually,” said Kimberly Weedmark, General Manager of the LA
Convention Center. “We’re excited that an upgraded facility will
allow us to expand our event base with more top-tier programs and allow
our current clients continued growth opportunities. An expanded and
modernized Center will provide our customers with innovative technology
and demonstrate leadership in sustainability. We look forward to
delivering excellent service and exceeding clients’ and guests’
expectations at every event.”
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CONTACTS
Tina Oh, City Tourism Department, christina.oh@lacity.org, 213-765-4247
Nancy Walker, LA Convention Center, nwalker@lacclink.com, 213-765-4661
Chris Heywood, LA Tourism & Convention Board, cheywood@latourism.org, 213-236-2366
ABOUT LOS ANGELES CITY TOURISM DEPARTMENT
The Los Angeles City Tourism Department (CTD) advances tourism policies
and strategies to increase the competitiveness of Los Angeles as a
premier convention and tourist destination. The department oversees two
public-private partnerships – with the Los Angeles Tourism &
Convention Board (LATCB) and ASM Global work to help the city
maximize the economic benefits derived from out-of-town visitors whose
spending contributes to the growth of the local economy. View more
tourism.lacity.gov [7].
ABOUT LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is renowned internationally as
a prime site for conventions, trade shows, and exhibitions. Owned by the
City of Los Angeles and professionally managed by ASM Global, the LACC
attracts 2 million visitors annually. The facility is an integral
economic component of the Southern California area, generating economic
benefits through attendee direct and indirect spending. The LACC also
remains an enduring symbol of environmental sustainability and social
responsibility and is proud to be a LEED® Gold certified facility. The
LACC strictly adheres to the ASM Global _VenueShield_ Health & Safety
Protocols. Follow on Facebook [3], Instagram [8], Twitter [6] and
LinkedIn [9]. For more information, please visit lacclink.com [1].
ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES TOURISM & CONVENTION BOARD
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is the official, non-profit
tourism promotion organization for the City of Los Angeles, and the
ultimate resource for where to stay and play in the LA area. With its
mission to improve the quality of life for all Angelenos through the
economic and community benefits of tourism, LA Tourism is proud to
represent over 1,100 Member businesses across the region that depend on
travel and tourism for their livelihoods, including over 525,000
residents who work in tourism-related careers.For more information,
visit discoverlosangeles.com [10], follow at
facebook.com/
Instagram [13] and TikTok [14].
