Thanks to the resurgence of downtown, the professional association for TV marketers and graphic designers is bringing its annual convention back to Los Angeles this week.
The group, named PromaxBDA, has scheduled its annual conference at the JW Marriott Hotel at L.A. Live. The return marks the first time that the meeting will be in Los Angeles after eight years away. The last five were held in New York.
Jonathan Block-Verk, chief executive of Santa Monica-based PromaxBDA, said the renovation of downtown was the driving force of the event’s return.
“With the completion of L.A. Live, we decided to bring the event here,” he said. “It was time to bring it back to the epicenter of creativity in Los Angeles.”
About 75 percent of the attendees will come from out of town for the event, which runs Tuesday through Thursday. Attendance is projected at more than 2,000, an increase of more than 40 percent since last year.
“These are high-income travelers who will spend millions,” Block-Verk said. “Mayor (Antonio) Villaraigosa recognizes that and that’s why he’s coming to welcome delegates on Tuesday afternoon.”
It’s another example of the impact from L.A. Live, the 27-acre development near Staples Center that houses two hotels, theaters, restaurants and condominiums. In 2008, Tim Leiweke, chief executive of AEG, which built the development, told the Business Journal that L.A. Live was “a big bet that L.A. should be front and center for tourism, conventions and trade.”
Carol Martinez, associate vice-president at LA Inc., the city’s convention bureau, said PromaxBDA isn’t the only example of L.A. Live attracting more business. She noted that the American Heart Association recently decided to hold its convention here in 2011.
“What we’re seeing citywide is that conventions are interested in downtown,” she said.
“L.A. is clearly on a resurgence,” said Block-Verk. “We’re hoping to keep our convention here for a long time.”
Celebrity guests at the PromaxBDA conference include Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, CNN talk show host Larry King and former boxing champ and L.A. resident “Sugar” Ray Leonard.
However, Adam Stotsky, the recently installed co-chairman of PromaxBDA and president of marketing for NBC Entertainment in Universal City, said that the stars won’t outshine the focus of the event, which is training in new media.
“This conference is a business imperative,” Stotsky explained. “Nothing against Las Vegas, but there is a perception that events there are fun first.
“Much of our membership is based in Los Angeles or regularly does business with the creative community here,” he continued, “so basing the event here reflects the importance this community has to our industry.”
