Things haven't looked any good at all for the Farmers Field Downtown NFL stadium—and the LA Convention Center overhaul that was supposed to come with it—in at least a year, so eventually the city started looking at some alternatives for giving the Convention Center its much-needed revamp. And now it is official: the city has let dreams of a football stadium die, reports the San Francisco Business Journal. Yesterday the City Council's Economic Development Committee approved a motion that would allow for $600,000 of bond money to pay three as-yet-undecided applicants for "predesign work" on a redesign. (When three qualified groups are selected, they'll each be given $200k to compete in a design competition.)
The committee's motion recommended 300,000 square feet of new exhibition space for the Convention Center to connect the South and West Halls, "providing the contiguity desired by the largest exhibitors," as well as 75,000 square feet of other meeting room space, a 60,000-square-foot ballroom, facade upgrades, and more exhibit and event space outdoors. It also calls for the identification of "public-private development opportunities" for the campus, including a possible 1,000-room hotel or retail.
The Council plans to look at submissions in July and a have a final design selected in January. The motion does note that the city "may withdraw this competition at any time should the National Football League determine that a team will locate to Los Angeles, 'cause you know those NFL dreams die hard.
· LA Planning Design Competition to Overhaul Convention Center [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...