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2h ago

Los Angeles Breaks Ground on $2.62 Billion Convention Center Expansion

The launch tests Los Angeles’ pledge to deliver the venue for LA28 on schedule despite intensifying scrutiny of cost.

Mayor Karen Bass, LA council members, state assembly members join the LA City Tourism Department and development partners for the groundbreaking of the Los Angeles Convention Center Expansion and Modernization on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
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Overview

  • Mayor Karen Bass and city leaders held a ceremonial groundbreaking to kick off construction intended to revitalize downtown and ready the facility for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
  • The city plans to keep the center operating during construction, reach substantial completion by spring 2028, hand the site to the IOC in June 2028, and finish the project in spring 2029.
  • City projections cite more than 15,000 jobs, $652 million in general‑fund tax revenue over 30 years, and over $150 million in annual visitor spending, with at least 100 major conventions prepared to book.
  • Financial and schedule concerns continue, with some reports estimating total costs near $5.9 billion including borrowing and top city analysts warning an on‑time finish may be infeasible.
  • Bass announced public‑safety deployments during construction, including LAPD foot patrols, bike officers and mental‑health teams in priority areas, and Councilmember Curren Price was hospitalized after a health incident at the event.