LA Approves $2.6B Convention Center Expansion, But Work Will Pause for Olympics
Photo Credit: Discover Los Angeles
Skift Take
Los Angeles is investing almost $3 billion in expanding its convention center. The approved plan means construction will pause during the LA28 Summer Olympics, concluding in 2029.
On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council approved an expansion and modernization project for the L.A. Convention Center (LACC) that will add 190,000 square feet of hall space to create one contiguous hall of more than 750,000 square feet. The venue currently offers 867,000 square feet of event space, including 720,000 square feet of exhibit halls and 64 meeting rooms. The expansion will also add 39,000 square feet of meeting space and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space, including a rooftop ballroom.
“This flexible floorplan directly addresses the needs of organizers seeking large-scale builds and will make Los Angeles more competitive than ever,” said Adam Burke, president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism. "The expansion will open the door to hosting ever larger events in the future.”
The city projects the public infrastructure investment will create more than 15,000 jobs, add $652 million in General Fund tax revenue over 30 years.
A December 2023 report projects the expanded facility will attract 500,000 more visitors via 83 additional events and generate $150 million in new annual visitor spending.
City Leaders Raise Concerns Over Costs
Costs have risen sharply since initial planning. Initial estimates in February 2020 were $1.1 billion, climbing to $1.4 billion by November 2023, and now are projected closer to $3 billion.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia said his office “cannot recommend going forward with the current plan at this time” and warned that the city would not see “a related net positive general fund impact for 30 years.”
City Council member Katy Yaroslavsky, chair of the council committee overseeing the project, suggested modernizing the center without expanding and postponing the larger project until after the Olympics. The council's vote to approve the expansion overturned her recommendation.
Complex Construction Plans
The expansion won’t be completed in time for the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games (LA28), so construction will pause during LA28 as the venue hosts multiple sporting events. Officials have raised concerns about potential delays resulting in financial penalties if the facility is not ready for Olympic use on time.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for early October. A significant part of the construction must be completed by March 31, 2028, when LA28 will have access to the facility, taking over exclusively from June 1 to the end of August. Final project completion is anticipated in May 2029.
Ongoing Promotion Plans
Discover Los Angeles plans to promote the expanded and modernized LACC at upcoming trade shows, including IMEX America this October.
“Our marketing strategy will combine new facility assets, proactive sales outreach, and destination storytelling, all designed to grow new business while reinforcing confidence among our existing partners,” said Burke.
