It's official: "LIVE with Kelly and Mark" is coming to the Palm Springs area next month.
Hosts and married couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos announced Friday morning that they will be taking a break from their New York City studio to soak up the sun in the desert. The series will tape four shows on Nov. 10 and 11 at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, around a 20-minute drive from downtown Palm Springs.
It's far from the first trip to the valley for the show's hosts. On air, Ripa and Consuelos regularly talk about their vacations to Palm Springs , and earlier this year Ripa even mused about moving there. It appears they did make the move because on Ripa's podcast, "Let's Talk Off Camera," she shared a humorous moment running into neighbors on a golf course when she and her husband didn't look like their usual glammed up selves.
Visit Greater Palm Springs, the valley's official tourism agency, spearheaded the effort to bring the show to the desert.
"We couldn’t be more excited to welcome 'LIVE with Kelly and Mark' to the Westin Golf Resort & Spa in the stunning city of Rancho Mirage! This is such an incredible opportunity to showcase our vibrant community, with its breathtaking beauty, lush landscapes, and unique experiences that make our destination a world-renowned place to visit," Scott White, president and CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs, said in a statement. "Kelly and Mark’s dynamic vibe is the perfect match for the spirit of Greater Palm Springs, and we hope to inspire their audience to experience the magic of our oasis firsthand!"
Coachella Valley has been 'on our radar for many years'
This marks the first time that the long-running and most-watched syndicated talk show in the country will be filming in the Palm Springs area. Rumors were swirling a few months ago that the show could be coming to the Coachella Valley, with a number of cities hoping to be the host. Rancho Mirage eventually won out on the bidding war.
"It's been on our radar for many years. It has great proximity to LA, which has a lot of great guests. The weather is so beautiful. There's a lot to do, there's a lot to see," Executive Producer Michael Gelman said in an interview with The Desert Sun. "I've been there personally, Kelly and Mark have been there and love it, so it really checks a lot of boxes for us."
With November being a prime time of year for outdoor activities in the Coachella Valley, Gelman said the show will be filmed on the Westin Rancho Mirage's golf course, with the surrounding mountains serving as the backdrop. "And very low chance of rain I'm told," he added.
The show will spotlight sights and happenings all across the nine valley cities. Though no concrete plans have been made at this time, Gelman said Ripa and Consuelos enjoy hiking, so "we may get outdoors for at least one of the pieces."
Gelman listed the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and playing tennis as some of his favorite activities to do when visiting the desert. The married couple may even squeeze in a round of the desert's favorite sport, pickleball, which he said they've featured on the show in the past.
"LIVE with Kelly and Mark" has previously filmed in Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, Banff, Alberta, Canada, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and the Bahamas. Whenever the show gets to go live from the road, Gelman said it highlights "why people love going there and moving there."
How to get tickets
Local residents will be able to snag tickets to watch Ripa and Consuelos film the show live.
Those interested can visit livewithkellyandmark.com/live-ticket-requests . The link will take visitors to the show's website, where they will then have to visit https://1iota.com/show/1801/live-with-kelly-and-mark-palm-springs to request tickets.
The show will be taped at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Nov. 10 and 11.
The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa is located at 71-333 Dinah Shore Drive in Rancho Mirage.
Rancho Mirage is 'perfect fit' for show
In June, The Desert Sun reported that Visit Greater Palm Springs was holding discussions with the ABC show to film a few episodes.
The tourism organization approved $1 million for the venture, and it reached out to several valley cities about hosting the show and paying $200,000 to offset the costs to bring the show to the area. A host hotel would also have to provide space and rooms, worth around $200,000. In May, the Indian Wells City Council tentatively approved $200,000 to serve as a filming location, however members wanted more information on the event.
At the July 18 Rancho Mirage City Council meeting, board members voted 4-0 (with one member recusing themselves) to authorize the city manager to enter into an agreement with Visit Greater Palm Springs for an amount not to exceed $200,000. The city will reallocate funds it already has dedicated for tourism.
City documents stated that "LIVE with Kelly and Mark" has an estimated 2.2 million viewers per episode, and that bringing the show to the Coachella Valley would result in $11 million in advertising value and $3 million in value for the host city/hotel partner. Representatives from Westin Rancho Mirage, The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage and Omni Rancho Las Palmas were present at the council meeting and in support of their hotels partnering for the visit.
Council members expressed their excitement at the prospect of Ripa and Consuelos hosting their show in the city.
"This is a perfect fit for the city of Rancho Mirage," council member Michael O'Keefe said. "Tourism is our No. 1 industry. I personally believe we have the best resorts in all of the Coachella Valley, so it's a no-brainer."
Mayor Steve Downs added the $200,000 allocation was a "small price to pay for the remarkable notoriety that an event like this will bring to the city of Rancho Mirage."
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Previous reporting from The Desert Sun's Tom Coulter was used.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'Live with Kelly and Mark' to tape episodes in Rancho Mirage next month; how to get tickets
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