Exhibitor guide · Downtown Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
867,000 square feet downtown, a $2.62 billion expansion racing toward the 2028 Olympics, and a union floor that has run everything from the 1984 Games press center to the LA Auto Show. What exhibitors need to know before, during and after the biggest construction project in the building's history.
LACC · 1201 S Figueroa StWhy this page exists
The LACC is in the middle of the largest capital project in its history, a $2.62 billion expansion meant to have the building Olympic-ready by spring 2028 and fully complete by spring 2029, all while staying open for business. For exhibitors booking a show in the next few years, that means confirming which halls are affected before locking in dates, understanding a fully union floor with clear trade jurisdictions, and knowing that "downtown LA" logistics mean real traffic and real parking costs. None of that is new; the center has absorbed a tornado, a stadium proposal that came and went, and a demolished hall for an arena, and kept running shows the whole time.
This guide covers the five exhibit halls and the Olympic expansion project, union labor and trade jurisdictions, drayage, a freight countdown, the shows that fill LA's calendar led by the LA Auto Show, hotels downtown, and the history of a building that served as the media hub for the 1984 Olympics and will host four sports in the 2028 Games.
The building
The exhibit halls and the Olympic expansion
Five exhibit halls make up the current 720,000 sq ft of exhibition space, and a major construction project is reshaping two of them right now.
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Hall | Added in 1993, roughly 347,000 sq ft, currently being connected to West Hall as part of the Olympic expansion. | Large citywide shows | Confirm current configuration; this hall is under active construction. |
| West Hall | Part of the original and expanded campus, being joined to South Hall to form one contiguous 750,000+ sq ft space. | Large citywide shows | Same construction note as South Hall; verify hall assignment and access before designing. |
| Kentia Hall | 160,000 sq ft, completed 1997. | Mid-size trade shows | Confirm access and dock routing during the expansion construction. |
| West Hall Annex | Green glass and white steel, designed by James Ingo Freed, the same architect who designed the Javits Center's rebuild in New York. | Secondary exhibit and meeting space | A distinct architectural character from the rest of the campus. |
| 64 meeting rooms | Across the campus. | Breakouts, association meetings | Hand-carry and tabletop formats. |
| Gilbert Lindsay Plaza | The plaza in front of the center, being redesigned as part of the expansion to add public open space and an outdoor venue. | Registration, sponsor activations | Confirm current plaza access during construction. |
Hall areas from the LACC's published facility overview and public reporting on the 2028 Olympic expansion; figures marked verify are being confirmed with event services given ongoing construction.
The labor map
Who sets up my booth?
California is not a right-to-work state, and the LACC runs a fully union floor. Local 831 has jurisdiction over booth installation, erection, dismantling and repair; drayage, decorating, rigging, exhibit construction, carpentry and freight movement are all required to use union labor under the center's general service contractor agreements.
Local 831
Installation, erection, clean-up, touch-up, dismantling and repair of temporary exhibits falls under Local 831's jurisdiction. Confirm current hand-carry and self-install allowances with the show's official contractor, since these vary by show.
Drayage and material movement
Required to be union labor under the LACC's general service contractor agreements.
Rigging and decorating
Also union work, ordered through the show's official contractor.
Exhibitor-appointed contractors
Purple files as your EAC and supervises union crews, exactly as we do at the Javits or McCormick Place.
History
From a tornado to two Olympics
The LACC has weathered a literal tornado, a stadium proposal that came and went, and is now racing to be ready for its second Olympics in 44 years.
Construction begins on 35 acres in the southwest corner of Downtown LA. The center, designed by architect Charles Luckman, opens July 11, 1971, with a 210,000 sq ft exhibit hall and a 21,000 sq ft special events hall.
Three expansions grow the campus: the 99,500 sq ft North Hall in 1981, the 347,000 sq ft South Hall in 1993, and the 162,000 sq ft Kentia Hall in 1997.
A tornado strikes downtown Los Angeles on March 1, damaging the convention center's roof and upper-level panels. Repairs and new signage cost $3 million.
The LACC serves as the Main Press Center for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
North Hall is demolished to make way for what becomes Crypto.com Arena (originally Staples Center), reshaping the campus footprint.
The LACC becomes the first convention center in the U.S. and the first LA City building of its age and size to earn LEED certification for Existing Buildings.
AEG and Casey Wasserman propose Farmers Field, a $1 billion combined stadium and convention center meant to bring an NFL team back to LA. The plan is abandoned in 2015 as SoFi Stadium moves forward instead.
The LA City Council approves a $2.62 billion expansion and modernization project: connecting South and West Halls into one 750,000+ sq ft contiguous space, adding 39,000 sq ft of meeting rooms and 95,000 sq ft of multipurpose space, and redesigning Gilbert Lindsay Plaza. The center stays open throughout construction, reaches Olympic readiness by spring 2028, and is fully complete by spring 2029. LACC will host boxing, fencing, taekwondo and table tennis for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Rules of the floor
Rules of the floor
Union building, Local 831
California has no right-to-work law. Booth labor, drayage, rigging and decorating are all union work under the LACC's contractor agreements.
West Coast union rates
Planning rates run about $175 per hundredweight with a 200 lb minimum and surcharges for uncrated, off-target and special-handling freight.
Confirm hall availability
With South and West Halls under active construction toward the 2028 Olympics, confirm current hall assignment and access before finalizing your show's floor plan.
Los Angeles Fire Department
Covered and multilevel exhibits need plan review; flame-certified fabrics for anything covered.
Center-exclusive services
Electrical, rigging, internet, cleaning and catering are exclusive to the LACC or its designated providers; the show kit carries the current list.
Downtown LA logistics
Budget real time and cost for parking; downtown traffic is a genuine planning factor for both crew arrival and attendee flow.
Empties and the MHA
EMPTY stickers on unpack; MHA before leaving. Purple routes the booth back to storage or on to your next show.
Free tool
LACC drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 and 2027; your show's exhibitor kit has the tariff. All-venue comparison and a glossary on the drayage rates page.
Deadlines
Freight countdown for an LACC show
The calendar
Shows at the LACC
The LA Auto Show is the building's marquee event; the rest of the calendar spans entertainment, technology and consumer shows.
| Show | Next dates | Industry | Attendance | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA Auto Show | November 20–29, 2026 | Automotive | 700,000 | Custom exhibits |
| Healthcare and professional conferences | Spring, fall | Healthcare, professional services | 8,000 | 10×10 rentals |
| Anime and pop-culture conventions | Periodic | Pop culture | 15,000 | Booth rentals |
Attendance is the organizer's or trade press figure where published, and Purple's planning range otherwise. Dates from organizer sites in 2026; confirm before booking, especially given ongoing construction.
Logistics
Hotels, transit, crew logistics
- Airports: LAX is about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic; Burbank is a smaller, often faster alternative from the north.
- By transit: the Metro E and A Lines both stop near the convention center at Pico Station.
- By car: I-110 and I-10 both reach downtown; budget real time and cost for parking.
- Freight: confirm dock access given ongoing South and West Hall construction.
- Crew: Purple coordinates West Coast crews and regional freight for LACC shows.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, LA Live | Walking distance | The closest full-service towers to the campus. |
| Downtown LA hotels | 10 to 15-min walk | A range of price points near Metro rail. |
| Hotels near LAX | 20 to 30-min drive | Fly-in exhibitors on early or late flights. |
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Union jurisdictions, construction status, docks, deadlines.
Related on purpleexhibits.com: Custom trade show booth design · Trade show booth rentals · Request a quote.
Questions
Los Angeles Convention Center FAQ
Is the LACC open during the Olympic expansion?
Yes. The center is staying open throughout the $2.62 billion construction project, though South and West Halls are directly affected. Confirm current hall availability before booking a show near the construction timeline.
Can I set up my own booth?
The LACC runs a union floor under Local 831's jurisdiction for booth installation. Self-install allowances vary by show; confirm with the official contractor before assuming any hand-carry or self-install exemption.
How much is drayage?
Purple's planning estimate is about $175 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum and standard surcharges.
How big is the LACC?
867,000 square feet of flexible space, including 720,000 square feet across five exhibit halls, currently being reconfigured as part of the Olympic expansion.
What happens at the LACC during the 2028 Olympics?
It will host boxing, fencing, taekwondo and table tennis, the second time the building has played a major role in an LA Olympics after serving as the Main Press Center in 1984.
Which airport should I use?
LAX is about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Burbank is a smaller, often faster alternative if you're coming from the north.
Is there Metro rail access?
Yes, the Metro E and A Lines both stop near the convention center at Pico Station.
Where does Purple ship from for LACC shows?
Purple coordinates West Coast crews and regional freight carriers for Los Angeles shows.
What happened to North Hall?
It was demolished in 1998 to make way for what is now Crypto.com Arena, reshaping the northeast portion of the campus.
Exhibiting at the LACC?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a union-labor briefing, a drayage estimate, and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.