LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles City Council has voted to approve the expansion and modernization of the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC).
The project is expected to generate more than 15,000 jobs, $652 million in General Fund tax revenue over 30 years, and more than $150 million in additional annual visitor spending. Local businesses, particularly downtown hotels, are projected to see immediate benefits as new convention bookings are confirmed.
The expansion addresses concerns that Los Angeles has been at a disadvantage in attracting large-scale conventions due to a lack of contiguous exhibit space. The project will connect the South and West exhibit halls by adding 190,000 square feet, creating more than 750,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space. It will also add 39,000 square feet of meeting rooms and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space.
City officials and tourism leaders said the vote signals long-term support for the city’s convention and tourism industries. “This decision is the result of years of work with our City leaders and departments, and I’m proud of the tremendous effort put into this project,” said Doane Liu, chief tourism officer and executive director of the L.A. City Tourism Dept. “When the City of Los Angeles locks arms and shares a vision, we can successfully complete complex projects that make a positive lasting impact for Angelenos.”
Kimberly Weedmark, general manager of the LACC, said the expansion will allow the facility to host a greater number of programs and provide growth opportunities for existing clients. “We appreciate the L.A. City Council for their future-facing vision, as this project will allow us to increase the number of top-tier programs that we welcome to Los Angeles while granting our current clients continued growth opportunities.”
Adam Burke, president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism, said the modernization will strengthen the role of meetings and events as a major driver of the city’s tourism economy. “As one of the most powerful yet often unseen drivers of L.A.’s tourism economy, meetings and events generate billions of dollars annually for Los Angeles. They… sustain local businesses across the greater Los Angeles region. As we look ahead to historic years on the horizon and the global spotlight on Los Angeles intensifies, we know the Los Angeles Convention Center will play an even more vital role in shaping our city’s future.”
Construction partners on the project include AEG, Plenary Group, Webcor, PCL, and Populous.
