Los Angeles Convention Center

The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest section of downtown Los Angeles. It hosts multiple annual conventions and has often been used as a filming location in TV shows and movies (notably as a spaceport for Starship Troopers and used for the climactic fight scene in Rush Hour).

Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles Convention Center Annex, South Hall entrance at Pico and Figueroa
Coordinates34.039737°N 118.270293°W / 34.039737; -118.270293
OperatorAnschutz Entertainment Group
Built1971
Expanded1981, 1993, 1997
Enclosed space
 • Total space720,000 sq ft (67,000 m2)
Parking5,600 spaces[1]
Bicycle facilities
Yes
Public transit access Pico    
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo at the Convention Center, June 2012

History

The convention center, designed by architect Charles Luckman, opened in 1971 and expanded in 1981, 1993 and 1997.[2] It was originally built as a rectangular building, between Pico Boulevard and 11th Street (now Chick Hearn Ct.) on Figueroa Street. The northeast portion of the Center was demolished in 1997 to make way for the Staples Center. The Convention Center Annex of green glass and white steel frames, mainly on the south side of Pico, was designed by architect James Ingo Freed.[3]

The area in front of the convention center is known as the Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, named for the late councilman who represented the Downtown area of Los Angeles for several years. A 10-foot (3.0 m)-high monument honoring "The Emperor of the Great 9th District" was unveiled in 1995.[4] The drive between Figueroa Street and the convention center building is also named after Councilman Lindsay.

On March 1, 1983, a tornado caused damages to the roof and upper-level panels. The building was repaired and new convention center lettering signs were installed at a total cost of $3 million.[5]

On September 15, 2008, the convention center became the first in the U.S. and first Los Angeles City building of its age and size in the U.S. to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified for Existing Buildings from the United States Green Building Council.

In 2013, the Los Angeles City Council voted to let Anschutz Entertainment Group manage the convention center.[6]

Events

The convention center hosts annual events such as the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Abilities Expo, the Anime Expo, and is best known to video game fans as host to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as E3.

Grammy Week

During the week leading up to the annual Grammy Awards, the convention center typically hosts several Grammy week events. Since 2005, the convention center has hosted the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute, which takes place two days prior to the Grammy Awards.[7]

It also hosted the pre-telecast portion of the Grammy Awards (preceding the main telecast at the Staples Center) until 2013, when the pre-telecast was moved to the Nokia Theatre (now the Microsoft Theater).[8]

Emmy Week

Following the annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, the convention center hosts the Governors Ball, one of the major Emmy after-parties.[9]

2028 Summer Olympics

During the 2028 Summer Olympics, the convention center will host six sports. It will host women's Basketball Preliminaries, Boxing, Fencing, Taekwondo, Table Tennis and BMX Freestyle. It will be a part of the Live Site Olympic Zone down Figueroa St.[10]

Features

The convention center is one of the largest convention centers in the United States with over 720,000 sq ft (67,000 m2) of exhibition space, 147,000 sq ft (13,700 m2) of meeting space, 19.6 million sq ft (1,820,000 m2) of parking, and a 299-seat theater.[11]

The lobby floors in the north half of the building feature two large 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) multicolor maps of inlaid terrazzo. The project was installed by artist Alexis Smith in 1993. A map of the world centered on the Pacific Rim covers the entire floor of the main lobby, while a map of the constellations around the north celestial pole covers the floor of the upstairs lobby.

  • South Hall (Tom Bradley (Mayor) Exhibit Hall, 347,000 square feet (32,200 m2))[12]
  • Kentia Hall (beneath South Exhibit Hall, can be converted into a 415-car parking garage)
  • West Hall (Sam Yorty (Mayor) Exhibit Hall, 210,000 square feet (20,000 m2))
  • Neil Petree Hall
  • Concourse (two-story meeting room bridging over Pico Boulevard)
  • 3 food courts
  • On-site parking for 5,600 vehicles including electrical charge stations

Expansion proposals

In 2010, the Anschutz Entertainment Group and businessman Casey Wasserman proposed construction of Farmers Field, a US$1 billion combination football stadium and convention center, meant to attract the return of a National Football League (NFL) team to the Los Angeles area.[13] The development proposal was abandoned in March 2015.

A new proposal was developed in 2015, approved by city hall and a design team was chosen. A new convention hall, called "LACOEX", would be built, with a connection to the south hall.[14] Construction and approval is set to commence within 2019.

See also

References
  1. "Los Angeles Convention Center Brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2018-02-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Angels Walk LA - Figueroa, Self-guided Historic Trails, Angeles Walk LA, 2006
  4. Larry Gordon, Monument in the Image of 'the Emperor' - Tribute: A huge artwork honors the late Gilbert Lindsay, who was a powerful player on the City Council for 27 years Archived 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1995
  5. Gary Hart, The Los Angeles, California, Tornado of March 1, 1983, National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Natural Disasters, National Research Council (U.S.)
  6. Saillant, Catherine (26 June 2013). "L.A. votes to let AEG run Convention Center" – via LA Times.
  7. https://www.grammy.com/musicares/news/dolly-parton-be-honored-2019-musicares-person-year
  8. "Grammys 2013: Pre-telecast to stream live from Nokia Theatre". The Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. February 5, 2013. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  9. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-st-emmys-live-updates-governors-1474255154-htmlstory.html
  10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-10-12. Retrieved 2018-01-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. Welcome to the official site of the Los Angeles Convention Center Archived 2008-03-02 at the Wayback Machine
  12. LACC Center At-A-Glance Archived 2008-03-02 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Sam Farme (4 November 2010). "Tim Leiweke says L.A. stadium could be ready for 2016 Super Bowl". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  14. Conventional Wisdom - The Architect's Newspaper Archived 2012-11-13 at the Wayback Machine. Archpaper.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
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