Los Angeles Meeting & Travel Professionals Guide 2008/2009 - (Page 29) on the Upswing Downtown Downtown is the destination of choice for big events. The Los Angeles Convention Center is located Downtown, as are countless hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. But the big story in Downtown LA is the growing draw for visiting tourists and locals intrigued by Downtown’s latest developments. Chief among them is the ambitious L.A. LIVE redevelopment project. A $2.5 billion sports and entertainment complex, the development is transforming Downtown and bringing even more visitors to this already vital area. NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, with its opening in 2007, was the first venue to be completed at L.A. LIVE, and its immediate success points toward big things to come for Downtown. In addition, the opening of the GRAMMY® Museum in December 2008 further cements the area’s position as a thriving destination. For both meeting and travel professionals, the big news is the eagerly anticipated opening of two new hotels at L.A. LIVE. Slated for grand openings in 2010, the hotels will be located in a 54-story tower. The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE will feature 878 guest rooms and 35 suites, 77,000 Downtown Music Center ©Denise Chambers/Weaver; Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels ©Denise Chambers/ Weaver; Walt Disney Concert Hall ©Denise Chambers/Weaver; Pershing Square ©iStockphoto.com/ Jeremy Edwards; STAPLES Center ©L.A. INC square feet of meeting space and expansive ballrooms. The five-star Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles will have 123 rooms, a boardroom, a rooftop pool and a restaurant with panoramic views of the city. Businesses in Downtown are beginning to thrive like never before. New restaurants, retail centers and residential projects are sure to follow, expanding the offerings of Downtown and bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the area. Currently home to about 35,000 permanent residents, Downtown is expected to boost that number to more than 40,000 by 2010. Dozens of older warehouses in the area are being turned into lofts and condo projects, inviting a new kind of Downtown resident and providing an urban vibe that your clients will enjoy. Along with new Downtown residents come new shopping areas to support them. The area is already seeing new stores open, such as Ralphs grocery store, Downtown’s first modern, full-service supermarket. The area also has a growing cultural significance with several world-class institutions and regular events such as the Downtown Art Walk, a self-guided gallery tour that takes place the second Thursday of every month. Downtown’s attractions include such wellknown landmarks as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Japanese American National Museum and the Los Angeles Central Public Library. The birthplace of LA, El Pueblo Historic Monument, is also found in Downtown. Four of El Pueblo’s 27 historic buildings are restored as museums. Olvera Street, a cobblestone street lined with restaurants, cafes and shops, is a great place for clients and attendees to unwind. Avila Adobe, known as the oldest existing building in LA, is open for tours. And the best thing about Downtown? Its centralized location means you have lots of no-hassle transportation options to get your clients from the airport to the hotel. Whether you choose taxis, buses, scheduled shuttles or the Metro, you’ll find no shortage of ways to facilitate movement among all the great attractions in Downtown and throughout LA. Need more information about Downtown? Visit our website at www.discoverLosAngeles.com 29 http://www.discoverlosangeles.com
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