Major Public Infrastructure Investment Will Create Jobs, Attract Visitors and Generate Revenue

Today, the Los Angeles City Council voted to approve the L.A. Convention Center (LACC) Expansion and Modernization Project, underscoring the City’s commitment to maintaining its status as a world-class destination with a thriving tourism industry. This public infrastructure investment will create more than 15,000 jobs, add $652 million in General Fund tax revenue over 30 years and draw in over $150 million in additional visitor spending each year. View a video with renderings of the project here and download images and the video here.

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Los Angeles Convention Center Modernization & Expansion Project Rendering. Credit: Populous.

This project will spur much-needed economic growth in the region. Local businesses, especially in Downtown L.A., are dependent on direct and indirect spending from the LACC. This vote immediately helps local hotels as new bookings for the LACC will be confirmed for the upgraded space. It signals to investors, developers, local businesses and major industries that the City is committed to building a more prosperous future as a global leader and the chosen destination for organizations and associations to convene.

“I want to thank the Mayor and the City Council for their bold leadership and commitment to this legacy project that will make the Convention Center a premier destination for decades to come,” said Doane Liu, Chief Tourism Officer and Executive Director of the L.A. City Tourism Department. “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. 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.”

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 with over 750,000 square feet, and will add 39,000 square feet of new meeting room space and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space.

“An expanded and modernized Convention Center will transform the landscape of Downtown Los Angeles for following generations,” said Kimberly Weedmark, General Manager of the LA Convention Center. “We appreciate the LA 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. We are profoundly grateful to the teams at AEG, Plenary Group, Webcor, PCL and Populous, whose collaboration continues to set a new standard for excellence in the convention industry, and we look forward to the continued partnership as we move forward with the execution of the construction of the project. This is an incredibly exciting time for Los Angeles!”

“On behalf of the entire team at Los Angeles Tourism, we are incredibly grateful that the City Council has voted to advance the modernization of the Los Angeles Convention Center,” said Adam Burke, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism. “As one of the most powerful yet often unseen drivers of LA’s tourism economy, meetings and events generate billions of dollars annually for Los Angeles. They not only support the City’s General Fund and help fund essential services for all Angelenos, but also sustain local businesses across the greater Los Angeles region. As we look ahead to historic years on the horizon, and as 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 while continuing to welcome guests from around the globe.”

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 (Los Angeles Tourism) and Legends Global – and works 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.

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 Legends Global, the LACC attracts over 2.5 million visitors annually. The facility is an integral economic component to the Southern California area, generating economic benefits through attendee direct and indirect spending and sustaining over 12,500 local jobs. The LACC also remains an enduring symbol of environmental sustainability and social responsibility and is proud to be a LEED® Gold certified facility. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. For more information, please visit laconventioncenter.com.

ABOUT LOS ANGELES TOURISM & CONVENTION BOARD

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) 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, Los Angeles Tourism is proud to represent over 1,000 Member businesses across the region who depend on travel and tourism for their livelihoods, including over 540,000 residents who work in tourism-related careers. For more information, visit discoverlosangeles.com, follow at facebook.com/DiscoverLosAngeles, or @discoverLA on X, Instagram and TikTok.

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