AEG's Partnership with Panasonic to Bring 8,000 Square Foot Screen to L.A. Live Hotel

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, January 07, 2009, at 11:02PM

AEG / Panasonic Press Conference Eric Richardson [Flickr]

Panasonic Systems Company President J.M. Allain said today that his firm intends to make L.A. Live a technological showplace.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A massive 8,000 square foot screen is slated to go on the side of L.A. Live's convention center hotel as part of a deal announced today between AEG and Panasonic System Solutions. The sponsorship deal will place the manufacturer's high-definition screens all over the entertainment complex.

At a press conference on the Nokia Plaza this afternoon, both AEG and Panasonic talked of their desire to make the campus a technological showplace.

J.M. Allain, President of Panasonic's System Solutions unit, said this his firm wants to make L.A. Live the place where it brings its clients to show them all that the technology company is capable of.

The deal will result in upgrades to most screens installed in Staples Center and the Nokia Theatre.

The biggest announcement of the day, though not mentioned in the press conference, was an 8,000 square foot display to be installed on an eastern face of the complex's hotel tower. AEG Senior Vice President Ted Tanner told blogdowntown today that the giant screen -- roughly 50 feet wide and 160 feet tall -- would be configured in a way that would still allow hotel guests to see out of their rooms.

Currently, North America's largest video display is a 7,920 square foot screen at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. That screen is 144 feet long and 55 feet high. Both screens are smaller than a 11,200 square foot display slated to be installed in the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium, which opens this fall.

The deal makes Panasonic a "Founding Partner" in the L.A. Live complex and Staples Center. Along with providing displays, the company will also be involved in building out AEG's broadcast facilities using its HD equipment.

In January of 2007, AEG announced a deal to place Olevia brand HDTV sets throughout the complex, but that agreement fell apart when maker Syntax-Brillian experienced serious financial issues a year ago.

The L.A. Live entertainment complex houses the Nokia Theatre, Club Nokia, Grammy Museum, Conga Room, Lucky Strike, an ESPN broadcast facility, ESPNZone and a variety of restaurants. Nokia Theatre opened in 2007, but the rest came online late in 2008. AEG CEO Tim Leiweke said today that the complex has already generated $10 million in sales.

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AEG / Panasonic Press Conference Eric Richardson

This face of the L.A. Live hotel tower will hold the 8,000 square foot LED screen announced as part of the partnership with Panasonic. The display will be roughly 50 feet wide and 160 feet tall. AEG Senior Vice President Ted Tanner said today that the company has approvals to add a second similar screen facing south.

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L.A. Live

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Comments

1
JDRCRASH writes:

Cool!

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 11:29 AM
2
Jon writes:

Ditto on the cool. Sad to hear that Concerto cancelled similar plans. Glad to hear downtown is still getting such a screen at the Ritz instead.

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 12:15 PM
3
seb writes:

What!!! Concerto canceled their LED Screen plans? Why? That sucks.

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 12:37 PM
4
Richard Davidon writes:

Replicants everywhere will appreciate the Blade Runner aesthetic.

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 06:35 PM
5
rob writes:

i dont imagine this idea will go off will with nearby residents. 8000 square ft screen blasting light into the night sky sounds delightful if ur a tourist, but if ur a local resident. having such a screen filling ur apartment/ loft with light will soon get old and bothersom

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 08:21 PM
6
JDRCRASH writes:

I wouldn't say that, Rob. Having chose to live in the Downtown area, residents can expect to see things like these.

# on Jan.08.2009 AT 10:57 PM
7
seb writes:

If people don't like that then don't move to downtown.

# on Jan.09.2009 AT 03:27 PM
8
Brigham writes:

Rob, don't be such a fool. If you didn't know that LA Live was being built facing your loft, then you would probably sue your agent and/or kick yourself in the arse because you weren't paying attention.

The only place you'd see this 8000 square foot screen would be if you lived in the Hanover tower since the screen would be facing the INTERIOR of the complex and you wouldn't be able to see it from any of the existing residential buildings (i.e, Met Lofts, Luma).

Also, I agree with Seb. If you don't like the vibrancy of LA Live, move to another part of Downtown LA (i.e, Historic Core, FiDi, Bunker Hill, Little Tokyo, etc.) That's the good thing about Downtown LA is that it'll have a diverse range of neighborhoods/districts that will appeal to different demographics. OBVIOUSLY, you wouldn't enjoy living near LA Live, SO DON'T! ;)

# on Jan.10.2009 AT 03:34 AM
9
Brigham writes:

Oh btw, when you're standing at the corner of 11th Street and Flower--where there are lofts with windows facing LA Live--it's actually quite dark and quiet. What you are ignorant of is that most of LA Live's bright lights coming from the electronic LED screens face the interior of the complex and do not really flash outside of it.

Thought you'd want to know before making such a ridiculous statement.

# on Jan.10.2009 AT 03:41 AM
10
JDRCRASH writes:

What people need to remember is that just like the theaters, L.A. Live is going to attract people to it with it's bright lights. Without them, I don't think as many people would go down there at night for obvious reasons.

# on Jan.10.2009 AT 07:57 PM

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