LA Live and Downtown

A Brief Overview of LA Live

Some have called it Times Square West, and maybe you’ve noticed it, while driving by.

If you haven’t, that’s surprising, because it’s one of the biggest developments in the history of downtown Los Angeles. It’s the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Complex featuring LA Live.

Already scheduled to host the American Idol finale this year in addition to the Latin Grammys, Primetime Emmys and hundreds of concerts, the brand new development is quickly gaining prestige.

With bright, flashing lights, dozens of video boards and massive advertisements, LA Live is quickly beginning to look like its New York counterpart, and maybe even a little like a real city.

LA Live and the Downtown Revival

Smack in the middle of a struggling urban metropolis, the LA Live project carries the weight of being the impetus to revitalize downtown Los Angeles.

Just 8 blocks from Skid Row, many homeowners have expressed hesitation about moving downtown, even if the project seems to be succeeding.

Still project managers say that by giving people a reason to spend more time downtown, slowly, the scenario will change.

Real estate experts and architects say the plans look good, but because nothing like this has ever been done before, it is still too hard to say if things will get better.

Emmy Awards Headed to Nokia Theatre LA Live

The Emmys make a deal with AEG to move to Nokia Theatre LA Live Making a move from the Shrine Auditorium to Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in downtown, the Emmys declared their new home for at least 10 years starting this year when the show airs on ABC, September 21.

Academy chairman John Shaffner said the Emmy's had outgrown the Figueroa Blvd. space and that the downtown theatre was "appealing." Ten years ago, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences moved the show away from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for the same growth reasons.

However, "a complete shift of the Emmys to downtown may not happen for at least two years, anyway," reports Variety. "L.A. Live remains under construction, with much of the complex -- including a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, two ballrooms and several restaurants -- not slated to open until 2010.

Eric Richardson at blogdowntown noted that "the move is a great highlight of the energy that a venue like the Nokia can create for other spaces Downtown."

American Idol 7 Finale Details Revealed

Writing by Joe Reality on Wednesday, 12 March, 2008 at 5:10 pm

Even though the American Idol top twelve just had their first finalist round performances, FOX has released some details on the much anticipated American Idol 7 finale. The American Idol 7 finale will be a two night event, taking place on Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21.

Instead of occurring on the brand new American Idol stage, the American Idol 7 finale will take place at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. Live. The NOKIA Theatre L.A. Live plays host to more than one hundred and twenty events a year. Such artists as the Eagles, the Dixie Chicks, Sugarland, Queens of the Stone Age, Neil Young, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, Björk, John Fogerty, Tori Amos and George Lopez have performed at the theatre. The theatre has also played host to the American Music Awards and the So You Think You Can Dance Tour.