LA City Council OKs $54M Convention Center overhaul ahead of 2028 Olympics

After more than a decade of meticulous planning and intense debate, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to advance the $54 million renovation and expansion plans for the Los Angeles Convention Center. The council’s decision, which passed by a 13-1 vote, aims to expand center’s facilities in preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The city-owned Convention Center is slated to host fencing, boxing, taekwondo, and table tennis during the 2028 Games. In light of this role, the approved proposal seeks to expand the exhibit hall, meeting rooms, and multi-purpose spaces substantially. Specifically, the new construction will add 190,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, 55,000 square feet of meeting room space, and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space to the existing structure. Crucially, none of the current facilities will be demolished; rather, new construction will bridge buildings.

Supporters of the project argue that it will not only provide a world-class venue befitting the grandeur of the Olympics but also stimulate the local economy by creating thousands of jobs. “Not only will L.A. have a world-class Convention Center that we can be proud of just in time for the world stage, but it’s also going to bring thousands of jobs, permanent and temporary jobs,” said Councilman Curren Price.

However, the timeline of the construction has raised some concerns among council members. The preliminary work will be essential in assessing whether the 1971-built building can be modernized in time for the Olympics. If the remodeling can’t be done on time, the project might be terminated.

Financing for the project will come from city funds, but the actual construction will be managed through a public-private partnership with Anschutz Entertainment Group, which operates the Convention Center, and Plenary Group, a development firm.

The renovation of the Los Angeles Convention Center is just one of many large-scale infrastructure projects L.A. is undertaking in the run-up to the 2028 Olympics.