The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve the L.A. Convention Center expansion and modernization project on September 19. The construction will connect the two pre-existing exhibit halls—South and West—to create one hall with over 750,000 square feet of exhibition space.
In addition, the project will also add 39,000 square feet of new meeting room space and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space. The expansion will allow Los Angeles to attract large citywide conventions, an area of event competition that the city and its convention center previously lacked the space and amenities for.
[Related: Myrtle Beach Convention Center Opens Sensory Safe Space]
Doane Liu, chief tourism officer and executive director of the L.A. City Tourism Department, said the decision came after years of work with city leaders.
“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,” said Adam Burke, president and CEO off Los Angeles Tourism, in a press release. “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.”
