After not being used for months on end and also serving as an overflow hospital for COVID-19 patients, the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) took center stage last night as the primary venue for the high profile Grammys event. Although there was no audience present, there was a red carpet, awards and live performances.
Compared to other convention destinations, Los Angeles has lagged behind, especially to its neighbor Anaheim. According to CityWatchLA, “To attract a greater share of the lucrative convention business, the Tourism and Convention Board has been modernizing the Convention Center and promoting hotel development with the goal of adding 4,000 new hotel rooms within walking distance of it by 2020.”
This July marks the 50th anniversary of the LACC. Since its opening in 1971, the LACC has since undergone modernization and expansion that have enhanced both the functionality and aesthetics of the center. As part of its overall $1.25 billion expansion, the LACC’s total useable space will grow to more than 1.2 million square feet — including 250,000 square feet of meeting space and a 51,000-square-foot ballroom — with total contiguous exhibition space between the existing South and West Halls expanding to 750,000 square feet. Other innovative projects include:
- The installation of a 2.21-megawatt solar array that significantly reduces our carbon footprint
- Addition of a rooftop garden
- EV Charging stations in the parking garages
- Installed the latest energy-efficient products such as “cool roofs” and new air handling units
- Installed water-filling stations throughout the facility to aid in the diversion of single-use plastic bottles
- Remodeled the Theatre (411)
- Upgraded IT infrastructure and operating systems throughout the Center
The improvements to the Center and surrounding area will continue to be a priority given the return of the Olympics in 2028.