I'm very eager (and a bit anxious) to see any new renderings of LA Live! to see how it caters to the pedestrian experience on Figueroa and Olympic. We all know that it takes two sides of a road to create the true urban pedestrian experience (i.e., you can't have only one side with shops and the other side a blank wall). So although it is very important for LA Live! to have retail fronting Figueroa St., it is also very important for the other side of Figueroa where the Holiday Inn and Liberty Grill now sit to be activated as well. Perhaps a public gathering spot? More retail can't hurt either.

The other buildings around Nokia Theatre have started going up. The ESPN Zone area has steele up to what looks like the 5th floor. I hope we can get some pictures of that later, but LA Live is really coming up now.

the metreon rises!

Our salvation is at hand.

Ask and ye shall receive. Here are some pics from Saturday, bit of a wet one...

The ESPN studios building, looking south down Figueroa.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9...0701272ia5.jpg

Two roof trusses now on the Nokia Theater.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7...0701271kr6.jpg

^It's amazing how fast time goes by.

Olevia(TM) & AEG Announce Groundbreaking Sports and Entertainment Sponsorship Agreement
31 January 2007
01:36 PM
Business Wire
English
(c) 2007 Business Wire. All Rights Reserved.

LOS ANGELES - (BUSINESS WIRE) - AEG and Syntax-Brillian Corp. (Nasdaq: BRLC), a manufacturer and marketer of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs and digital entertainment products, announced details of a multi-platform marketing partnership that will feature the company's popular Olevia(TM) brand throughout a variety of AEG-owned developments, venues, franchises and other assets across the nation including L.A. Live, STAPLES Center, the Los Angeles Kings, Red Bull Park, Sprint Center, Citizen's Business Bank Arena and the Amgen Tour of California.

The far-reaching agreement, which extends through 2010 for each asset, will specifically highlight the Olevia(TM) brand of HDTVs through signage and other on-property brand exposure and include the integration of Olevia(TM) televisions and other product into public spaces at venues operated by AEG including Kansas City's Sprint Center (opening October, 2007), Los Angeles' STAPLES Center (beginning in 2008), Harrison, New Jersey's Red Bull Park (home of the MLS Red Bull New York beginning in 2008) and Ontario, California's Citizens Business Bank Arena (opening Fall, 2008).

As one of the 'exclusive' Founding Partners of each venue, Olevia(TM)'s sponsorship packages will also include large scale exterior signage, in-house LCD TV integration and use, scoreboard and concourse exposure, hospitality and other exclusive usage of entertainment spaces along with category exclusivity at each location.

While terms of the multi-million dollar agreement were not released, both parties agreed that the central component of the partnership was the sponsorship opportunities and elements which will be highlighted at L.A. Live, the highly anticipated, four million square foot development adjacent to STAPLES Center and across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center. The $2.5 billion L.A. Live features a 54 story/1,000-room convention center 'headquarters hotel,' Club Nokia, a 2,200 capacity live music venue, a 15-screen Regal Cineplex, broadcast facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, restaurant, residential and office space and the 7,100-seat Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live which will soon be the preferred venue for high profile entertainment programming including star studded awards shows, special events and concerts.

As one of L.A. Live's select Founding Partners, Olevia(TM) will receive unprecedented brand exposure via a number of interactive displays including newly developed advertising 'towers', exposure on a giant LED screen located within the one acre Nokia Plaza, on rotational displays outside of Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live and on fixed signs located throughout L.A. Live. Additionally, Syntax-Brillian will receive tickets to shows and events at both Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live and Club Nokia at L.A. Live for corporate hospitality use as well as additional specially designed hospitality and entertainment elements.

"This landmark agreement exemplifies Olevia's ascension to the top tier of digital entertainment brands," said Vincent Sollitto, CEO and Chairman, Syntax-Brillian. "AEG's premier venues, properties and franchises are a powerful medium for consumers to have a personal and profound experience with the Olevia brand."

The partnership will begin immediately with AEG sports properties the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race.

Olevia(TM)'s sponsorship and exposure opportunities with the Los Angeles Kings will begin with the final 29 games of the current 2006-07 season and includes radio and game night program advertising inventory, LED and dasherboard signage and hospitality elements for the NHL team. As a Founding Partner of the Amgen Tour of California, taking place February 18-25, 2007, Olevia(TM) will receive Start and Finish signage (course side and run in), :30 second commercial spots on the nightly race coverage airing on the Versus (formerly OLN) network, promotional spots and other branding elements on giant video displays at each stage finish, on-site product visibility, logo identification on promotional/collateral materials and a variety of VIP and hospitality elements. Additionally, AEG will integrate the Olevia(TM) brand of LCD HDTV's into company presentations, meeting and receptions such as the upcoming 2007 National Sports Forum (January 28-31 in Los Angeles) and AEG's pre and post-Grammy reception at STAPLES Center (February 11).

"It's very appropriate that AEG's first 'multiple property' Founding Partner agreement is also our first in the extremely relevant 'High Definition TV' category," said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO, AEG. "With Olevia(TM)'s emphasis and priority on the broadcast and presentation of live sports and entertainment and AEG's core objective on presenting and viewing live sports and entertainment in person, it seemed natural for this partnership which ultimately provides the best entertainment experience to consumers no matter where they choose to watch our events. In particular, we would like to thank Vincent Sollitto and Hope Frank of Syntax-Brillian Corporation for their commitment to AEG, our venues, our events and most of all our fans who are the ultimate winners."

In addition to the sponsorship elements for the two AEG Sports properties and five venues located within the United States, the agreement also calls for Syntax-Brillian to extend their Vivitar(R) digital camera brand at The O2, a 23,000-seat sports and entertainment arena AEG is creating in the eastern part of London along the Thames River as part of a 650,000 sq. ft. leisure and entertainment district. As an Official Partner of The O2, Vivitar(R) will enjoy category exclusivity and prominent venue signage including, permanent LED concourse signage and product display areas as well as VIP hospitality elements.

"This sponsorship with AEG creates powerful opportunities to extend the Olevia(TM) and Vivitar(R) brands into the sports and entertainment markets nationally and internationally, and to work with a partner proven to create, execute and manage compelling events, venue and franchises," said Hope Frank, Chief Marketing Officer, Syntax-Brillian.

^sounds great. Im very interested in these "advertising towers"

Maybe they will put up towers ontop of the ESPN building and such, to make them look taller than they are.

Yes, I'm absolutely obsessed over those LED-screens/signage and I am just dying to see accurate/newest renderings of LA Live. I want to see to what extent LA Live is truly going to become an entertainment destination that feels BRIGHT AND ALIVE at night. There's just no place in the US like Times Square in such a compact form. Not even Las Vegas felt as "intense" as Times Square. And I would be one happy camper if LA Live were to be on par with Times Square.

^ There's always Universal Citywalk... ;)

^ LOL uh huh sure!

I really doubt LA Live will be on par with Times Square. LA Live looks more like a mall and doesn't really look like it interacts well with the street. At least not in the renderings we've seen.

When you're in Times Square, you are surrounded by not only hundreds of LED screens and billboards but also by huge skyscrapers making the urban experience even more powerful and intense. Tell me what about LA Live makes you guys believe it will feel anything like Times Square? I just don't see it. Its a great project for downtown LA nevertheless but its no TS. I see it on par with maybe Hollywood and Highland (I hope that's not a bad thing)but we'll see.

I found this ad at CArealestatejournal.com:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/3...d842c4c4_b.jpg

cool. Thats generally the layout we saw before.

Those 6 advertisement stands must be the "advertising towers"

The more I look at these renderings, the more I agree. I think LA Live will feel like a flashier and more active version of Hollywood and Highland or the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Let's just hope it treats the street better than those two.

I think both of those are more enclosed than LA Live appears to be. For one, you can enter LA Live on three sides (or 4 even maybe), it breaths. There is only one corrididor, and it goes in a straight line thtough it (plus the plaza that makes it more open to the street).

Its not like Time square in that this is only on one side of a major street. There needs to be more on the other side of Fig, and for more than one block.

Clearly a mall will never amount to anything remotely like Times Square, but with LA Live along with the Fig Central project and possible future developments on other surrounding parcels, we could definitely see something Times Square-ish in the next 10 years or so.

LA live will never be anything like Time Square because time square is an overlay concept of preexisting building with elaborate lighted displays attached to them. LA lives' light displays will be totally integrated into new buildings. If you want anything like Time Square to happen in LA it will have to happen in the older sections of down town like Broadway etc.

I dont want broadway buildings to be covered up with advertisements. Interesting light designs, sure.

I think it would be fantastic it the city researched old photos of broadway, found it's most endearing era, and drew up a plan to encourage re-neoning broadway. We've GOT to looooooose all the trashy plastic signage. With the "jewelry traders" neon blade and a few of the theaters, it is easy to imagine how cool it could be at relatively low cost. Getting the roof top towers back would be next!:yes: