Capital of Creativity
The City of Angels is pushing boundaries for meetings
By JT Long
With almost 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is home to more people than 40 individual states. And, as Denzel Washington quipped, everyone there is a star. That includes attendees at the myriad new and renovated properties shining their light in preparation for the return of the 2028 Olympics. Those dreams of gold are good news for groups coming to town who will benefit from the improved infrastructure at the airport and throughout the city.
Insider Tips: “There is simply no place like Los Angeles. As a long-time leader of the entertainment and tech industries, we like to refer to LA as the “capital of creativity” and the events, meetings and conventions we host constantly push the boundaries of what is possible. One of the best examples of incorporating LA’s influence on entertainment into meetings and events is with a cinema-inspired backdrop at one of our studios, such as Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros., or Sony.
“While they meet, your group can experience different ‘worlds’ through full tech, catering and hosting capabilities, taking experiential storytelling to the next level. We also have a variety of exciting developments with major renovations at LAX, expanded Metro offerings and new hotels and venues on the horizon. In Los Angeles, meeting planners become the producers and the Meet LA team is here to help make even the most ambitious ideas a reality.”
–Darren Green, Senior Vice President of Sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board
5 Fabulous Places to Meet
Executive suites will now offer customized private dining experiences with a dedicated chef preparing multi-course global cuisine, a personal mixologist manning the in-suite bar, personal butler, special 3-hour musical performances for private concerts on the terrace from jazz to solo performers.
5,600 sq. ft. of event space, a signature rooftop deck, 170 guest rooms
The home of the Golden Globe Awards Show features the rooftop Aqua Star Pool, the largest heated hotel pool in history and offers private daybeds and fresh poolside dining. Located in the heart of famed shops and restaurants on Rodeo Drive, this puts the glam in meeting.
60,000 sq. ft. of performance-quality meeting space; 566 guest rooms
This completely reimagined classic features a 14,000 square-foot Fairmont Spa Century Plaza and Lumière, a modern American Brasserie with easy access to Century City. Executive Chef Atticus Garant crafts custom catering menus with locally sourced ingredients.
Nearly 24,000 sq. ft. of private event space (one of the largest ballrooms in Los Angeles); 400-luxury guest rooms; 63-private residences
The dramatic silhouette of one of the newest luxury properties in LA mirrors the modern lines of Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall across the street. High-tech wellness therapies (Quantum Harmonic Therapy for soundwaves, vibration and chromatherapy for mental stillness and Gharieni Welnamis Wave Table) are administered in private Recovery Cabins.
13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 305 guest rooms
The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Just 15 minutes north of LAX, this waterfront luxury property is nestled between swaying palm trees and the masts of docked sailboats. The interior design reflects the relaxed SoCal lifestyle and the indoor-outdoor meetings space can accommodate a dignified conference for 750 or a boat show on the marina deck.
18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 304 guest rooms
5 Reasons to Love Los Angeles
Healthy attitudes. The city is certified healthy. 871 properties have been Shearecare verified through Forbes Travel Guide and healthy food paired with sunshine and a wellness culture make it easy to cater to the most health-conscious attendee. Cabana Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is known the world over for serving anti-oxidant-rich salads all day long.
Sporty spaces. SoFi Stadium hosts the NFL Los Angeles Rams in front of a 70,240-seat capacity crowd and is part of a 298-acre mixed-use development with lots of VIP and private gathering spaces. It will be the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Summer 2028 Olympics. Over in the Exposition Park neighborhood, BMO Stadium is the grassy, open-air home of MLS’s Los Angeles FC and NWS Angel City FC. When elite athletes aren’t kicking soccer balls around the field, K-Pop groups and ranchera bands alike take the massive stage to play to crowds of 22,000.
More to love. A planned expansion of J.W. Marriott L.A. Live to add a tower with more than 800 guest rooms and 228,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in concert with an additional 700,000 sq. ft. at the adjacent Los Angeles Convention Center has been pushed back, but AEG and the City are actively working together to finalize the agreement, according to Green. “As the host city for the 2028 Olympics, we’re excited to see the project moving forward since the Center expansion and additional hotel inventory are key components to the success of the Games,” he said.
Read More: Now Playing: Sun, Surf & Luxury in Los Angeles
Museum-quality. From the new Academy Museum of Motion pictures to Petersen Automotive Museum and Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the mid-Wilshire Boulevard area is a cultural epicenter. All include dramatic spaces for memorable gatherings and VIP tour options.
Al fresco evenings. Is there anything more perfect than watching the sun go down from a rooftop pool deck with the Hollywood hills in the background. AC Hotel Beverly Hills 11th floor is an indoor-outdoor escape with view of the Miracle Mile. At Bar Lis at Thompson Hollywood, pair your cocktails with canapes French Riviera-style soothed by the rhythmic sounds of the rushing water fountain and the breeze in the cypress trees. Cara Cara at Downtown LA Proper Hotel is the brainchild of James Beard Award-winning L.A. chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne and the 5,000 sq. ft. space is where the stars align.
This article appears in the March/April 2023 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
