Known for a culture of innovation, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center introduces Long Beach Live, an industry-first, complete turn-key solution to blended in-person and virtual conventions, conferences, meetings and events. Long Beach Live ushers in the future of meetings and events by seamlessly integrating localized micro-community, in-person gatherings with interactive, fully produced digital broadcasts to distant attendees. This modern approach now offers four experiences: live, live stream, interactive and on-demand.
Long Beach Live is noteworthy for its digital-first approach. Taking cues from hosting events such as Twitch and TED, both of which enjoy highly engaged audiences in real life and online, the LBCEC campus has been turned into a multi-camera, multi-space broadcast facility. Virtual audiences are encouraged to participate using Long Beach Live’s digital platform that allows for chat, social integration and other remote interactivity.
To usher in this new era and retain its full-service commitment, the Long Beach CVB has created a new role that will act as a liaison between planners and the LBCEC. The director of creative initiatives is akin to an executive producer guiding the planning process and ensuring a cohesive bridge between the live events execution and a sophisticated broadcast production. Additionally, the entire Long Beach CVB team has received PCMA’s Digital Event Strategist certification. A show producer with a background in the television and film industry will manage the production crew.
Recent changes to the campus include boosting bandwidth capabilities that rival the largest of convention centers and broadcast facilities, increased installation of lighting in all venues, stand-alone studio, array of remote-controlled robotic cameras, production and edit space and more.
“Long Beach Live is an innovative solution to renewing the state of the meetings industry,” says Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach CVB. “The industry has largely focused on the in-person experience. However, blended events present the opportunity for greater connection, larger audiences, evergreen content, smaller carbon footprint, ongoing engagement and more.”
Goodling adds, “While our new offering is launching on the heels of the pandemic, this endeavor has long been at the forefront of our organization as we worked with our planners to assess needs and address challenges. Events will always be at the heart of what we do and there is no replacement for the networking opportunities that happen when attending in-person. However, we know people have busy lives and other responsibilities and Long Beach Live gives those unable to travel a new way to attend and connect.”
According to iMeet’s Planner Confidence Index (Oct. 11), 74 percent of planners expect their next event to be a hybrid, and the trend shows signs it will remain even after the pandemic subsides as organizations look to expand audiences and engagement.
The award-winning sales team from the Long Beach CVB and LBCEC has long been a favorite with meetings planners searching for full-service support and unique high-impact spaces. Now, they also have a resource that takes the guesswork out of blended events and provides a completely customizable program that will garner attention from attendees both in-person and remote. For more info on Long Beach Live, visit www.LongBeachLive.TV. To see Long Beach Live in action via video, click HERE.
Long Beach is a refreshing mix of urban sophistication with the atmosphere of a beach resort. Offering affordable, big city amenities alongside the visitor friendly charm of a small town, visitors will find first-class accommodations, shopping, dining, notable attractions, including The Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, seaside sightseeing along picturesque bays and five and a half miles of sandy beachfront. Day or night, convention or vacation, it’s the best of all worlds—right in the center of everything Southern California has to offer. For more info, visit www.visitlongbeach.com.
The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is a modern and stylish facility located in the heart of Long Beach’s downtown waterfront. The center features more than 400,000 sq.ft. of flexible exhibit and meeting space, two theaters, four ballrooms, an arena and 34 multi-purpose meeting rooms. The glass-domed Promenade Atrium, with sweeping views of the scenic waterfront and downtown skyline is available for pre-functions, receptions and special events. Other pre-function and special event areas include the outdoor Promenade Plaza, Terrace Lobby & Plaza, Pacific Gallery & Patio, Pacific Room and the Top of the Lot. For more info, visit www.longbeachcc.com.
Established in 1982, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private non-profit organization funded by city hotel bed tax and membership contributions from more than 400 area businesses and community organizations. The mission of the Bureau is to contribute to the economic development of the city of Long Beach by selling, marketing and promoting Long Beach as a destination for conventions, meetings, tradeshows and tourism. For more info, visit www.visitlongbeach.com/meetings/about-the-cvb/
