EVENT PLANNING – SPOTLIGHT ON LOS ANGELES


For most, the mention of Los Angeles conjures up thoughts of the entertainment industry (swimming pools, movie stars). But in 2010, over 25 million visitors spent over $14 billion, making tourism and hospitality the leading industry in Los Angeles (based on jobs).

Combining beautiful beaches, theme parks galore and glamorous celebrity sightings, Los Angeles ranked number seven on a list of top ten international cities for conferences and meetings. So maybe there’s more to Los Angeles than smog, movie stars and a big old Hollywood sign. Maybe it`s time to take another look at good old LA.

Event Planning Los Angeles – Go Big or Go Home

The venue choices are pretty much endless and the list is as varied as it is long. From large, flashy and extravagant to small, intimate and classic, Los Angeles has it all.

One of the largest convention centers in the US is the Los Angeles Convention Center. Originally built in 1972 (and since expanded) it houses over 860,000 square feet of conference, meeting and event space. The award winning venue has hosted many high profile events including the Prime Time Emmy Awards.

The Staples Center is home to four (yes, four) sports teams as well as the Grammy’s and has hosted A-list acts like U2, Bruce Springsteen and Beyonce. With event suites and club spaces that can accommodate meetings from 12 people to 500, they truly do offer the best seat in the house.

Theme Parks aren’t just for kids anymore! Disneyland and Universal Studios both cater to meetings and events ranging in size from 100 to 20,000 people. You can actually buyout the entire park, or just part of it, after hours for your group and really have an event to be remembered. Now that`s entertainment!

Event Planning Los Angeles – Museums

When we think of Los Angeles, rarely is our first thought of museums. But with a variety of historical, artistic and scientific collections in the greater Los Angeles area, perhaps it`s time to take a second look.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is one of the largest museums in the western US. Opened originally in 1910, it has seen recent updates and renovations including new exhibits and new areas. Its collections include over 34 million different specimens and artifacts that cover billions of years of history. With a range of collections in several fields, the most popular displays are devoted to animal habitats, dinosaurs and pre-Columbian cultures.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is dedicated solely to the collection of art created since 1940. Although relatively new (in the world of museums) it has grown so quickly since opening in 1979, that its over 5000 works are now housed in three separate locations.

Opened in 2008 (celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Grammy`s) The Grammy Museum is an interactive museum dedicated to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards. Different musical genres are side by side, celebrating the history, music and artists of the Grammy`s.

Every meeting and event planner is always looking to create the WOW moment for their attendees. There’s so much more to Los Angeles than what the gossip shows highlight. So for your next event, be sure to look at the West Coast, considered by many to be the best coast.

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