LOS ANGELES - June 29, 2011

AEG developer of the new Farmers Field, with the assistance of the City of Los Angeles, owner of the Los Angeles Convention Center, has selected Populous as the Architect of Record to design a new convention hall over Pico Boulevard to replace the existing West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Populous is a world leader in the design of convention centers and sports facilities with such notable projects as the Phoenix Convention Center expansion, the Anaheim Convention Center expansion master plan, international convention centers in Qatar and India and current U.S. work in the cities of San Jose, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.  Their portfolio of sports facilities includes more than 20 projects in association with AEG or ICON Venue Group, and such notables as Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium, London’s O2 Arena, San Diego’s Petco Park and AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Populous will immediately begin to provide required services to support AEG’s extensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR) already underway for the project.  The firm also will begin work on creating comprehensive design drawings for the new hall which will relocate and replace the West Hall’s 210,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, meeting rooms and other related ancillary and support areas to provide contiguous convention space to the Convention Center’s existing South Hall.  Once the new facility is complete, the West Hall would then be demolished for the construction of Farmers Field.

Day-to-day management of Populous and the project, expected to break ground in early summer, 2012, will be done by Project Managers, ICON Venue Group, who also managed the selection process, in consultation with AEG and representatives from the Los Angeles Convention Center, representatives from the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and other City officials.

“We were very fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview the most respected convention center designers in the industry,” said Tim Romani, President and CEO of ICON Venue Group.  “Populous was chosen based on the overall strength of their design team and their particular experience with these types of renovations of conventions centers across the country.”

ICON has also been serving as the Project Manager for Farmers Field which will allow them to have complete oversight of the entire development and ensure its timely delivery.

“We are thrilled to be part of this exciting effort to upgrade L.A.’s Convention Center to its rightful standing as one of the top tier venues in the country,” said Todd Voth, Senior Principal.  “The vast majority of our convention center design efforts have involved the expansion, renovation and modernization of existing facilities so we’re confident that we’ll create an authentic and profitable showplace for Los Angeles while maintaining the center’s ability to host conventions and exhibitions.”

As previously announced, Gensler, a Los Angeles-headquartered company specializing in the creation of iconic venues for sports, entertainment, commercial and hospitality clients with offices in 35 locations worldwide was selected to provide services for Farmers Field, the $1 billion, privately-financed downtown Los Angeles stadium and Event Center.  This leading global architecture, design, planning and strategic consulting firm has already begun work on the overall design of Farmers Field with the goal of having initial design drawings by first quarter of 2012 to continue to move the project forward.   Additionally, Gensler has been providing services to support the extensive Environmental Impact Report (EIR) already underway for the project.

More information can be found at www.farmersfield.com

Media Contacts:

AEG:
Michael Roth
Vice President, Communications
(213) 742-7155
mroth@aegworldwide.com

Populous:       
Gina Stingley
Marketing Manager
(816) 329-4409
gina.stingley@populous.com

Gensler:          
Lesley Grant
Regional Marketing Director
(310) 449-5832
Lesley_grant@gensler.com

ICON Venue Group: 
Melissa Heiter
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
303-796-2655
mheiter@iconvenue.com

Los Angeles Convention Center:       
Pam Hirneisen
LACC VP of Sales and Marketing
(213) 741-1151 extension 5340
phirneisen@lacclink.com