October 1 saw the first shovels go into the ground outside the Los Angeles Convention Center, commencing work on a long-awaited $2.6 billion expansion of the facility.
Among the local dignitaries who participated in the ceremonial start were Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, and Doane Liu, chief tourism officer and executive director of the L.A. City Tourism Department. Once the ceremony ended, construction crews began their duties.
The project will add 190,000 square feet of exhibit space between the existing West and South Halls, thus connecting them. In addition, there will be a new 98,000-square-foot rooftop ballroom with panoramic city views.
The center will remain open for business all the way through to the expansion’s soft opening in spring 2028, making the expanded footprint ready for use when the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games come to Los Angeles later that year.
“A new era for L.A. begins today,” Liu said in a press release. “The City Council and Mayor approved this project less than two weeks ago and we have already started construction. This is a significant milestone as we signal to the world that L.A. is ready to invest in itself and committed to being a world-class destination with a thriving tourism industry.”
