The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is reshaping its campus around one goal: give large shows a single, connected exhibit floor.
The centerpiece is a new exhibit hall that will bridge over Pico Boulevard, which currently splits the facility between South Hall and West Hall. Project materials set completion for Spring 2029 and put the finished campus at 912,575 square feet of total exhibit space, including 750,575 square feet of contiguous exhibit space once the new hall connects existing exhibit halls over Pico Boulevard.
Kimberly Weedmark, general manager at the LACC, told Exhibit City News (ECN) the venue is in the midst of a $2.6 billion expansion and modernization project. By early 2028, she said, LACC will have about 80 percent of the work complete, in time to hand over the building for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which begin in July 2028. By then, she said, LACC will have a finished exterior facade and will restore the West Hall and South Hall to their pre-construction footprints for use during the Games.
Project materials add detail to the schedule. LACC will pause construction between June and October 2028 to accommodate the Games, then resume work and finish in Spring 2029.
What “contiguous” changes for planners and exhibitors
Today, Pico Boulevard can force large events to split space across separate halls and manage multiple traffic patterns. The bridge hall removes that break and lets planners run a show on one continuous floor.
LACC also built flexibility into the plan. Operable partitions will allow staff to divide the contiguous exhibit footprint into seven smaller halls, giving organizers more layout options without losing connectivity.
The published specifications show what the new hall is built to support. Project materials list 40-foot ceilings, floor boxes on 30-foot centers in both directions and rigging on 15-foot centers in both directions. The hall also includes infrastructure for portable display systems and IP-based video distribution.
“The biggest outcomes will be a 750,000-square-foot contiguous exhibit hall,” Weedmark told ECN. Project materials put the contiguous total at 750,575 square feet once the new hall connects the campus. He added that the expanded footprint would place LACC among the top ten largest convention centers in the United States.
A new ballroom and event-ready public spaces
The plan adds a 98,000-square-foot multi-purpose space that can operate as one large room or break into smaller rooms. Project materials list configurations of 9,700 people lecture-style and 6,500 for banquets with eight-foot rounds.
Weedmark said the ballroom will include two prefunction areas and a rooftop terrace. She added that the terrace will overlook Downtown Los Angeles and extend toward the Hollywood Hills. She expects the added meeting space to broaden LACC’s appeal with domestic and international planners who have not used the venue before.
Project materials also describe a new entry and lobby atrium called the Skynode. The documents describe it as three levels of skylit gathering space designed for event use and flexible meeting areas, with cutting-edge surfaces for digital display. The roof terrace and Skynode will also be available for events.
Staying open while building
“The LACC remains open during construction,” Weedmark said. She said work is concentrated in the area between South Hall and West Hall and treated as an “add-on” intended to limit disruption for in-house events. “Currently, Hall B and a portion of Hall K are offline,” she said, because those areas will connect the new hall above Pico Boulevard.
The project FAQ echoes that approach. It says LACC will stay fully operational throughout the expansion, and it places most construction activity behind the existing facility to minimize disruption.
Modernization work alongside the expansion
Weedmark said the project also includes a modernization scope across the building. That work includes retrofitting the West Hall, upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and updating health and safety systems. LACC also plans new escalators and elevators, upgraded restrooms, and new finishes such as carpeting and lighting.
Selling the next version of LACC
Weedmark said large events that now split their footprint between South Hall and West Hall should see an immediate benefit after completion. She said they will be able to keep more of the show floor in one connected footprint. If they need additional space, she added, they can extend into the new contiguous hall.
She also said the LACC is working with its destination marketing organization partner, the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, to sell the expanded facility for 2029 and beyond. She expects strong demand once the new spaces come online.
The Los Angeles Convention Center is a meetings and events venue in Downtown Los Angeles. The facility hosts conventions, tradeshows, and live events. Visit laconventioncenter.com
Top Image: A rendering shows the planned skynode atrium, a multi-level gathering space designed for events as part of the Los Angeles Convention Center’s expansion and modernization project. Courtesy Los Angeles Convention Center.
