Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center Welcomes Back Events

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center will open its doors to conventions and events on August 8, signaling the reignition of one of Long Beach's largest economic engines. In August alone, three conventions will bring an estimated $6.9 million in economic impact as approximately 10,600 attendees stay in Long Beach hotels and dine and shop at local establishments. The center is reopening at full capacity, with 14 conventions expected to bring 74,300 visitors with $48.7 million flowing into the local economy through the end of 2021.

Entertainment at the venue is also making a comeback in a big way, with major upcoming acts at The Terrace Theater including comedians Bill Burr and Tom Segura, musician Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, and luminaries such as President George W. Bush, Jay Leno and Malala Yousafzai as part of Speaker Series LA.

"Events at the convention center create more than $1 billion in economic impact for the city each year. Opening its doors means a shot in the arm to our local economy," said Steve Goodling, President & CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We are excited to welcome many diverse conventions and events in the coming months, including ComplexCon, Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo and Intermodal Expo."

While the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center has been closed to events since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the intervening months it has been far from idle. The facility served as a mass vaccination site and was a major player in Long Beach achieving its current 72% vaccination rate among adult residents, with 214,807 shots administered onsite. And from April 22 to July 23, 2021, the center served an urgent humanitarian need, temporarily housing 1,538 migrant children who were reunited with family or sponsors.

"The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is more than an events venue – it is also a center for our community," said Charlie Beirne, manager of the convention center. "ASM Global was honored to step up and meet the needs of our residents during the pandemic, and to aid in a humanitarian crisis by housing and helping care for migrant children." ASM Global is contracted with the City of Long Beach to manage the facility. Following the departure of the children, the center was thoroughly refreshed and readied for its upcoming calendar of events.

During the 15 months that the convention center was closed, CVB and center management partnered to evolve their services beyond the walls of the facility itself. In the new era of virtual meetings, Long Beach Live was born – an in house, hybrid events solution complete with accredited staff, professional multi-camera productions, and direct engagement with remote attendees. The platform enabled events like the Long Beach Economic Forum, State of the City, and Christmas tree lighting to take place virtually, and served as a way for the CVB to connect with meetings clients. It also played a major role in accessibility during the 2021 Fourth of July fireworks show sponsored by the CVB and Harbor Breeze Cruises, enabling 41,000 people to view the show online.

"The Fourth of July really illustrated that hybrid events are an opportunity to grow attendance and viewership," Goodling said. "In addition to the 41,000 people who watched online, the event had the highest attendance ever, with 50,000 people watching along the Long Beach shoreline." With the CVB's award-winning service and the convention center's award-winning turnkey venues, Long Beach's value proposition as a meetings and events destination has only grown, he added.

Interested in holding your next convention or event at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center? Visit www.longbeachcc.com for more information, and click here to view a video of each of the center's unique and turnkey venues.  

About the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center: The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is a modern and stylish facility located in the heart of Long Beach's downtown waterfront. The Center features more than 400,000 square feet of flexible exhibit and meeting space, two theaters, four ballrooms, an arena and 34 multi-purpose meeting rooms. The glass-domed Promenade Atrium, with sweeping views of the scenic waterfront and downtown skyline is available for pre-functions, receptions and special events. Other pre-function and special event areas include the outdoor Promenade Plaza, Terrace Lobby & Plaza, Pacific Gallery & Patio, Pacific Room and the Top of the Lot. Its versatile and adaptable meeting spaces can be quickly and easily transformed into the perfect venue for any event. Hybrid events are also an option with Long Beach Live, with an in-house Director of Creative Initiatives to assist in creating an integrated and professional production.

About the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau: Established in 1982, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private non-profit organization funded by city hotel bed tax and membership contributions from over 400 area businesses and community organizations. The mission of the Bureau is to contribute to the economic development of the city of Long Beach by selling, marketing and promoting Long Beach as a destination for conventions, meetings, tradeshows and tourism.

CONTACT
Samantha Mehlinger
Director of Communications
Long Beach CVB 
562-896-3290
[email protected]

SOURCE Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau

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