The Electronic Entertainment Expo, gaming’s largest North American trade show, isn’t leaving Los Angeles.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":499324,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"games,","session":"B"}']The Los Angeles Convention Center, E3’s home for more than a decade, is transforming to accommodate a new professional football stadium. The convention center’s owning entity, AEG, plans to demolish the West Hall and erect the new venue (known as Farmer’s Field) in its place. The Entertainment Software Association, the trade group that runs E3, was reportedly unhappy about how the reduced space and planned construction would impact an already crowded show. AEG seems to have allayed those concerns as the ESA announced it will continue to hold E3 in L.A. through 2015.
“My office was committed to doing whatever it took to keep the largest annual conference that the city hosts here for another three years,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “I personally joined in the negotiations, and we worked with all parties to ensure the needs of E3 would be met. The city is grateful the Entertainment Software Association continues to view L.A., the entertainment capital of the world, as the ideal location for the world’s premiere video game convention.”
In a joint press release, the two organizations said they are working together to schedule the construction so that it has a minimal interference with the expo.
“Working with ESA to provide the confidence in scheduling they have requested has truly been a collaborative effort,” said Timothy J. Leiweke, president and chief executive officer of AEG. “We are also grateful to ESA for their thoughtful input into the design plans which will result in the most efficient and modern facilities that will not only benefit E3 but all of the new conventions that will come to Los Angeles. On behalf of our city and AEG, thank you ESA, we won’t let you down.”
The noted new facilities include a 20,000 square-foot hall that will bridge the convention center to Farmer’s Field. Once this expansion is complete, AEG will drop the Los Angeles Convention Center moniker for the venue and will replace it with LACOEX (a mash-up of Los Angeles convention center and expo hall).
E3 2012 brought more than 45,000 industry professionals from over 100 countries to the city of L.A. The show generated $40 million in revenue for the local economy.
E3 2013 will run from June 11 to June 13.