L.A. Live facts for kids
Aerial view of L.A. Live and Staples Center at night
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| Location | South Park District of Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Address | 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 |
| Coordinates | 34°02′40″N 118°16′00″W / 34.04444°N 118.26667°W |
| Status | Open |
| Groundbreaking | September 2005 |
| Opening | Late 2007 - Early 2008 |
| Companies | |
| Architect | RTKL Associates |
| Developer | Anschutz Entertainment Group Wachovia Corp Azteca Corp MacFarlane Partners |
| Owner | AEG Worldwide |
| Technical details | |
| Cost | approximately US$2.5 billion |
| Size | 5,600,000 square feet (520,257 m2) |
L.A. Live is a huge entertainment area in Downtown Los Angeles, California. It's right next to the famous Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
This big project was built by several companies, including Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). It cost about $2.5 billion to create! The main architects who designed it were from a company called RTKL Associates.
Contents
Building L.A. Live: A Timeline
Work on L.A. Live started in September 2005. The first part opened in October 2007. This included the Microsoft Theater, Xbox Plaza, and some shops.
| Phase | What was built | When it opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | 7,100-seat Microsoft Theater and Xbox Plaza | October 2007 | Completed |
| Phase II | ESPN studios, restaurants, Grammy Museum, The Novo, Lucky Strike bowling alley, and The Conga Room | October 2008 | Completed |
| Phase III | 54-story Ritz-Carlton/JW Marriott hotel and a 14-screen movie theater | Late 2009 | Completed |
Future Plans That Didn't Happen
For a while, there were plans to build a new NFL stadium here. It was going to be called Farmers Field. However, these plans were later stopped. Other teams decided to build their own stadiums instead.
What You Can Find at L.A. Live
L.A. Live covers a huge area, about 27 acres! It has many ballrooms, bars, concert halls, restaurants, movie theaters, and a tall 54-story hotel and apartment building.
Xbox Plaza
Xbox Plaza is a large open space, about 40,000 square feet. It's the main meeting spot at L.A. Live. This plaza has giant LED screens for showing events. It's also a place where famous people walk the red carpet for special events. For example, the premiere of the movie The Twilight Saga: Eclipse happened here.
Microsoft Theater and The Novo
The Microsoft Theater is a big place for music and shows. It can hold 7,100 people. The Novo is a smaller venue for live music, holding 2,300 people.
Many famous events have been held at the Microsoft Theater.
- The ESPY Awards have been held here since 2008.
- The first concert was by The Eagles and The Dixie Chicks in October 2007.
- The American Music Awards have also been hosted here.
- The finals of American Idol for several seasons took place at this theater.
- The Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony has been held here since 2008.
- The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards were also at the Microsoft Theater.
Grammy Museum
The Grammy Museum opened in December 2008. It celebrates the history of the Grammy Awards. The museum has four floors filled with cool music items from history. It has featured exhibits about famous musicians like John Lennon.
On the sidewalks around L.A. Live, you can find bronze disks. These are like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They honor the top winners of the Grammy Awards each year.
Hotels and Homes
A very tall 54-story building is a main part of L.A. Live. It has two hotels inside: an 879-room JW Marriott hotel and a 123-room Ritz-Carlton hotel. The building also has 224 fancy apartments called Residences at the Ritz Carlton. This tall building was finished in 2010.
Later, another hotel building was added nearby. It has a Marriott Courtyard and a Residence Inn. There are also plans to make the J.W. Marriott even bigger, making it one of the largest hotels in California!
ESPN Studios and Restaurants
L.A. Live has a large ESPN broadcasting studio. From here, ESPN broadcasts sports news, especially about West Coast sports. There used to be an ESPN Zone restaurant, but it has been replaced by other restaurants like Tom's Urban 24 and Smashburger.
Regal Cinemas
A big movie theater complex called Regal Entertainment Group opened in 2009. It cost $100 million to build! It has 14 screens and 3,772 seats. One special theater, the "Regal Premiere House," is used for big movie premieres. This theater became the main Regal location on the West Coast. The movie This Is It was the first film shown here.
Restaurants to Enjoy
L.A. Live has many great restaurants. You can find places like Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Katsuya, Lawry's, Rock'N Fish, Rosa Mexicana, Cleo, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, and Yard House.
Images for kids
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L.A. Live during Construction
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The hotel on Olympic Blvd. under construction in November 2008
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The completed Ritz Carlton Residences at LA Live
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Regal Theater and Marriott under construction summer of 2008.
See also
In Spanish: L.A. Live para niños
