Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles Convention Center Annex, South Hall entrance at Pico and Figueroa
Address 1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, California
Coordinates 34°02′23″N 118°16′13″W / 34.039737°N 118.270293°W / 34.039737; -118.270293Coordinates: 34°02′23″N 118°16′13″W / 34.039737°N 118.270293°W / 34.039737; -118.270293
Owner City of Los Angeles
Built 1969
Opened 1971
Enclosed space
 • Total space 720,000 sq ft (67,000 m2)
Parking 5,600 spaces[1]
Bicycle facilities
 Yes
Public transit access

( Expo Line  Blue Line )
Pico station
Website www.lacclink.com
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo at the Convention Center, June 2012

The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo, and is best known to video game fans as host to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as E3. Its newest major events are the Primetime Emmy Awards' Governors Ball, Microsoft WPC, Abilities Expo, and frequent TV show and movie filmings (notably as a spaceport for Starship Troopers and used for the climactic fight scene in Rush Hour).

History

The Convention Center, designed by architect Charles Luckman, opened in 1971 and expanded in 1993 and 1997. It was originally built as a rectangle 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.[2]

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 many years. A 10-foot (3.0 m)-high monument honoring "The Emperor of the Great 9th District" was unveiled in 1995.[3] 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.[4]

Since 2005, the convention center has hosted the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute two nights prior to the Grammy Awards. 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.[5]

On September 15, 2008, the Los Angeles Convention Center became the first U.S. convention center 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]

Features

The LACC 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, 1,960,000 sq ft (182,000 m2) of parking, and a 299-seat theater.[7]

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.

Expansion Proposals

In 2010, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) 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.[9] 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.[10] Construction and approval is set to commence by 2019. Los Angeles 2024 organizers plan to use the convention center for various sports. It will be apart of the Live Site Olympic Zone down Figueroa St.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Los Angeles Convention Center.

References

  1. ↑ "Los Angeles Convention Center Brochure" (PDF). Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ Angels Walk LA - Figueroa, Self-guided Historic Trails, Angeles Walk LA, 2006
  3. ↑ 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, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1995
  4. ↑ 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.)
  5. ↑ "Grammys 2013: Pre-telecast to stream live from Nokia Theatre". The Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. February 5, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  6. ↑ L.A. votes to let AEG run Convention Center
  7. ↑ Welcome to the official site of the Los Angeles Convention Center
  8. ↑ LACC Center At-A-Glance
  9. ↑ Sam Farme (4 November 2010). "Tim Leiweke says L.A. stadium could be ready for 2016 Super Bowl". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Conventional Wisdom - The Architect's Newspaper. Archpaper.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
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