As associations and corporate and entertainment groups focus on greener meetings, Los Angeles is making it easier than ever to diminish the carbon footprint. Here's a sampling of LA's earth-friendly properties. The
W Hollywood, with 25,000 square feet of meeting space, at the legendary corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, is registered for LEED Silver certification and its developer will be honored with the 2010 Millennium Award from Global Green U.S.A. The W's green highlights include high-efficiency energy and water systems, on-site public transit -- it's above the Hollywood & Vine Metro Station -- recycling and use of eco-friendly and local sourcing. In Downtown, the new boasts 100,000 square feet of function space and is targeting to be LEED Certified for its state-of-the-art water and energy efficiency, recycling and Marriott corporate commitment to environmental sustainability. The
JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A.LIVE boasts 100,000 square feet of function space and is targeting to be LEED Certified for its state-of-the-art water and energy efficiency, recycling and Marriott corporate commitment to environmental sustainability.
Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport has received Silver Level certification by Green Seal, an independent organization that has developed a set of science-based certification standards for products and services meeting strict environmental standards. The first property in the LAX corridor and the first Radisson to reach this certification, Radisson LAX has 42,000 square feet of meeting space, and its green commitments include aggressive recycling, waste reduction and energy conservation, green purchasing and a Green Team to insure compliance throughout the property. Additional LA hotels with Green Seal certification include the
Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Downtown - LA's first Green Seal hotel; the
Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, the
Westin Los Angeles Airport and the
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City.
Less than three years after the grand opening of
NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, AEG, owners of the 7,100-seat award-winning Los Angeles venue have invested more than $500,000 on theatre upgrades and improvements. Among the upgrades, a newly installed House Curtain Reduction System now gives NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE the flexibility to host smaller-scale concerts or events. In the new configuration, event organizers can utilize just the 4,300-seat orchestra section, with guests no longer seeing the unmanifested seats in the Loge and Mezzanine, providing a more intimate setting for artists and theatre clients. Measuring 180' X 80', NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE boasts the largest stage in Southern California, providing more than 14,000 square feet of performance area at the venue. A new customized stage draping system framing the stage, now creates the appearance of a smaller stage footprint, once again providing convenience for smaller-scale events. Furthermore, the Blue Room hospitality space, the theatre's "star" dressing rooms and the backstage hallways were all given a "facelift," including new carpeting, re-painting and new lighting systems. NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE hosts more than 120 music, family, and comedy shows each year, along with multiple award shows, televised productions, corporate events, movie premieres and product launches annually. NOKIA Theatre is also a three-time "Theatre of the Year" as voted on by the highly respected trade publication
Pollstar. The facility can host meetings, performances and events of 4,300 to 7,100 people. NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE is part of the Los Angeles Convention Center Campus, which is comprised of the LA Convention Center and L.A. LIVE. Nokia Theatre is home to the
American Idol Finale Shows, American Music Awards, ESPY Awards, Primetime Emmy® Awards, and People's Choice Awards.
As home to the world's major networks and movie studios, and hundreds of arts venues and movie filming locations, the San Fernando Valley -- known simply as "The Valley" to those in the know - offers innovative meeting and event sites, in addition to the best in free-time entertainment. And soon, another world-class venue will join the mix. The new Valley Performing Arts Center, at
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) will provide meeting planners with an all-new facility for meetings and events in early 2011. The 160,000-square-foot facility includes a 1,700-seat Great Hall, a 178-seat flexible theatre, a lecture hall, and indoor and outdoor event spaces that provide a stellar setting for meetings, presentations and social events. Beyond the arts, event planners will find the Valley offers plenty of outdoor facilities. The Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (known as Ahmanson Ranch to locals), a 3,000-acre wildlife refuge -- and the filming site of many famous movies -- welcomes meetings, conferences, team-building and retreats of all sizes outdoors, and in venues such as the sprawling, Ahmanson Ranch House. The Japanese Garden, in Van Nuys, a 6.5 acre Eden of peaceful ponds and intricate landscaping, can be privately reserved for events of up to 84. Thrill-seeking groups can enjoy fully catered meals, complete with podium and sound gear, in the private picnic pavilions at
Six Flags Magic Mountain, which features more than 40 hair-raising rides, including the world's first fourth-dimension roller coaster.
The newly revitalized Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) received the prestigious Silver LEED-EB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Existing Building) Certification -- the first ever airport-renovation project to receive the designation. Presented by the U.S. Green Building Council upon completion of the $737 million revamp, the Silver Certification recognizes TBIT's operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. TBIT's environment-friendly achievements include 20 percent energy savings and 24 percent water conservation, which translate to hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual savings. Additionally, more than 75 percent of construction and demolition waste was recycled or salvaged; efficient lighting with occupancy sensors reduce lighting and save energy during off-peak periods; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) automatically reset temperatures to maximize efficiency without sacrificing passenger comfort; more than 20 percent of the interior finishes included materials with recycled content; low-emitting paints, adhesives, carpets and sealants were used throughout the interior, and low-flow plumbing fixtures were installed in the restrooms. LAX is the nation's second busiest airport and seventh busiest in the world, offering more than 565 daily flights to 81 destinations in the U.S. and more than 1,000 weekly nonstop flights to 65 international destinations on 75 carriers.
Savvy planners know that "location, location, location" is the mantra of successful meetings, as well as smart real estate choices. What better location than Los Angeles'
Loyola Marymount University, beautifully situated on a scenic bluff between Downtown LA and the coast, overlooking the yacht-filled harbor of Marina del Rey and the Pacific Ocean. Loyola Marymount welcomes private meetings and events -- it has an in-house meetings and convention department, plenty of versatile meeting space and accommodations for up to 2,500 delegates (available June 1 through Aug. 1) including apartments, suites and traditional dorm rooms. "Anything that can be held at a hotel, can happen on our campus," said Trish Carlson, university director of conference services. In all, Loyola Marymount offers nearly 100,000 square feet of conference space in a variety of configurations from classroom settings for breakouts to conference rooms and auditoriums for general sessions, and magnificently landscaped event lawns. Planners have their choice of 26 meeting rooms, many with partial scenic views, which can accommodate gatherings of up to 500; and outside event areas for up to 1,000 guests. The Auditorium is particularly popular for groups of up to 325; for smaller groups, the University Hall Building offers a beautiful 125-seat theater and the McIntosh Room, which features partial sweeping city views, is popular with groups of up to 60. The largest indoor venue is the basketball gym, which at 60,000 square feet can be reconfigured for many uses. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Teach for America are among the hundreds of groups that meet at Loyola Marymount.
Hotel Sofitel Los Angeles
