| Dear Meeting Professional, Please enjoy this guest column by LA INC.'s new Senior Director of Hotel Sales, Stephanie Pace. Dear Meeting Professional, Now in my second month as Senior Director of Hotel Sales, I am quickly adapting to the LA lifestyle. Coming from an extensive background within hotel sales for Hilton and Starwood, and several years as a Senior Director of the Salt Lake CVB, I thought I had seen it all as far as what there is to see and do for meeting professionals. However, within just a few short days at LA INC., I realized I was dead wrong! LA INC.'s given me the opportunity to discover all there is to see and do in this amazing city. Though it's definitely worth it, let me tell you, it has been no easy feat ... I've already worn out several pairs of heels. Los Angeles is a paradise for meeting professionals. With so many options, it's almost impossible to choose which experience to include in your programs. On my first day, the bureau hosted a client event dinner on the set of "Desperate Housewives," where clients got to experience Wisteria Lane first-hand. A different course was served in each individual home. How fun is that?! The following week I got a whirlwind tour of Downtown LA. It's vibrant and alive with several restaurants and entertainment options. And the new venues being constructed at L.A. LIVE across from the Los Angeles Convention Center have really given Downtown new life. Shortly after I discovered the new Downtown, I headed to Hollywood. I can't lie, I was a bit star-struck when I saw Will Smith, Jada and the kids pull into the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel as I was meeting the sales team for my first site tour. The Presidential Suite was occupied as they prepped for Will's latest film premiere, "Hancock." I refrained from making a fool of myself by asking for an autograph, however I did almost lose it when I went to the Sunset Tower Hotel and met Angelina Jolie's and Madonna's hair dresser. When I learned he was actually affordable, I booked my appointment the next day! Each day just seems to get better than the last. From watching Sting perform while fireworks exploded overhead at the Hollywood Bowl to eating my first Dodger Dog, I simply cannot choose which experience has been my favorite. There is so much to offer in Los Angeles for meeting professionals and convention attendees. I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to represent such an exciting destination. Sincerely, |
 | LA's Convention Center Hotels Take Shape The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles and the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles -- the first Ritz-Carlton "all club" property in the United States -- are scheduled to open March 2010 at L.A. LIVE, adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center. The two hotels will share an iconic 54-story skyscraper that will be the focal point of the 27-acre, $2.5 billion Downtown sports and entertainment mecca. As the project nears completion, more information is coming to light on all fronts, including the details of the convention center hotels. The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles will feature 878 guest rooms, including 35 suites and more than 77,000 square feet of meeting space (boasting three floors of stacked ballrooms - the most efficient conference space in Los Angeles - and largest with the capability of serving 2,000). The Ritz-Carlton will feature 123 guest rooms and suites situated on the upper floors, along with The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE (composed of 224 private condominiums). A 3,400-square-foot Club Lounge will double as the property's 23rd floor check-in area with an adjacent boardroom for small meetings, a combined lobby-lounge-restaurant space on the 24th floor will offer panoramic views of Downtown and the surrounding Southern California cityscape, and a rooftop swimming pool and terrace will provide a luxurious retreat from the city below. |
  | A New Universal Experience The 1973 "Best Picture" Oscar® Statuette for The Sting is just one of the many rare gems of Hollywood memorabilia on display at Universal Studios Hollywood's newest attraction -- "The Universal Experience: Behind the Scenes of Universal Pictures." This new attraction celebrates the studios' historic movie heritage and provides visitors with an extraordinary, close-up view of never-before-seen props, costumes, artifacts and special-effect items chosen from many of Universal's most celebrated productions, including recent hits and major motion pictures that have yet to be released. In addition, interactive trivia and film clip kiosks impart a lively hands-on element to the visitor experience. Among items currently on display are props and costumes including the "Book of Who" from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the "speak 'N Spell transmitter" from E.T., Gregory Peck's briefcase and glasses from To Kill a Mockingbird and Cate Blanchette's period costumes from Elizabeth. The Universal Experience will be updated regularly with material from new movies and artifacts from the studio's 95-year-old archives including more than 6,000 titles.
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 | Hey Mister DJ - DJs that Please without the Cheese There used to be two distinct types of DJs: the in-house club disc jocks and the traveling wedding and reception spinners. If your group wanted cool club sounds, you arranged an event at a club. Now, a growing number of DJs are combining the two, offering meeting professionals a choice of wild and crazy or soft and subtle sounds anywhere a planner wishes. One example is Hey Mister DJ, founded three years ago by DJ Lee Dyson. "I saw a growing need for disc jockeys and entertainers who can bridge the gap between the 'Club DJ' and the 'Mobile DJ' experience," he says. "All my DJs are seasoned professionals, with experience in both nightclubs and private events." From classy and traditional to hip and stylish and Latin to retro to street sounds, Hey Mister DJ has spinners who specialize in every possible genre of music. Dyson also picks DJs who are business professionals, "They know the difference between making the music a focal point driving the event and keeping the energy level high -- or simply background aesthetics." Hey Mister DJ's dual concept has found a market niche with clients that include Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Pictures Television and DMCs such as Destination Concepts.
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 | Mark Taper Forum Re-Opens in September Winner of more Tony Awards® than any theatre outside of Manhattan, the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum will re-open its doors to the public on Sept. 14, 2008 after a yearlong $30 million renovation with the premiere of "The House of Blue Leaves." The distinctive circular theatre located at the Music Center in Downtown has received a much-needed updating of its technical capabilities and audience amenities. Inside the auditorium, the unique intimacy of the Taper with its special audience-stage relationship will be retained, with upgrades such as new, more comfortable seats, upholstery, carpeting, and sleek and elegant new railings along the aisles. The acoustics of the theatre will also be improved to allow theatregoers to hear the spoken word better, and a new air conditioning system will provide quieter and more even air distribution. The theatre's lobby will more than double in size and the lobby bar will be more accommodating. The 1,350 square-foot lower lobby will also offer comfortable, casual seating with two large banquettes, on either end of the lobby, and additional adjacent seating.
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 | 24 Hours in the Beach Cities In LA's Beach Cities, restaurants are as fresh as an ocean breeze and the nightlife sizzles with waves of excitement. Click the link below for a 24-hour itinerary and enjoy a sample day along LA's 75 miles of coastline from Malibu to San Pedro. Read More... |
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Michael K. Krouse
Senior Vice President
Sales
Phone: 213-236-2359
Fax: 213-451-1459
mkrouse@lainc.us |
Why use a CVB? You'll save valuable time by working with LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau when planning your meetings or conventions in Los Angeles. Not only will LA INC. handle all aspects of your site inspection, but its award-winning client services department will meet - and exceed - your expectations. Among the other benefits you'll receive is an unbiased account of hotels and other venues that suit the needs of your group and access to LA INC.'s many member vendors, including hotels, restaurants, attractions, destination management companies and transportation companies, which will work with you in planning a successful, well-attended event. |   Gain access to a world of tools that will help make your next event a success!   Visitors can walk to a Metro station - or take a bike. Bike racks are available on Metro buses and bicycles are permitted on trains except between the hours of 6:30-8:30 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. weekdays. No restrictions on weekends and holidays.
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