Meetings

Rams Move Could Bring More Meetings to Los Angeles

LA’s meeting business could be getting a boost thanks to the relocation of the NFL’s Rams franchise.

When the Rams move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season, the NFL team’s fans may not be the only visitors coming to town. The new team, and their new stadium, could also bring association meeting planners and their attendees to the city.

“This really speaks to the growth overall in how the city continues to I think elevate itself as a great venue for meeting planners, offering great options,” said Darren Green, senior vice president of sales of the LA Tourism and Convention Board.

According to Cvent, Los Angeles ranked number 20 among 2015’s most popular conference destinations, down one slot from the previous year.

However, this NFL move could be a way to up LA’s standing, especially with the addition of the stadium complex, which is scheduled to open in 2019, according to the LA Times.

The stadium will be built on the old Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood. The current design will create an enclosed “entertainment, retail, and housing complex” as well as a performing arts venue. Green said the addition of this venue to those already in LA—including movie studios, the Hollywood Bowl, the Coliseum, and the Getty Museum—will set LA apart as a rich meeting destination.

The retractable, glass roof and the complex’s size—it will be able to hold 30,000 people in standing-room-only areas—will give the board the ability to draw larger events than are currently hosted in LA. Such a venue also could provide the board’s team with a new marketing opportunity to target organizations that have not held meetings in the city before.

Green said one of the biggest perks of this new stadium will be its proximity to other locations that could improve the meeting experience, such as the LA Forum, another indoor arena. The complex will also be a short drive from Los Angeles International Airport as well as downtown hotels.

“The accessibility to that area from both downtown and LAX will make it extremely attractive for planners and let them get even more creative with their programs,” he said.

And, as the city develops its metro rail system and the airport connector, the stadium will be even more easily accessible to meeting and convention attendees. It will also position LA as a potential host for the NCAA Final Four, the Super Bowl, or the 2024 Olympics.

“It really speaks to LA’s commitment overall to maintaining itself as one of the top cities to do meetings and events at in the country,” Green said.

(Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Alex Beall

By Alex Beall

Alex Beall is an associate editor for Associations Now with a masters in journalism and a penchant for Instagram. MORE

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