Los Angeles Convention Center Survival Guide 

The LA Convention Center is where over 350 huge events, trade shows, and expos are held throughout the year. The modern facility boasts 867,000 sq ft of event floor space and 4.2 million sq ft total area, making it the ideal venue for large events.

Navigating your way around such a facility can be confusing, especially if it’s your first time attending the convention center.

As a booth holder, you want to make sure everything runs smoothly before, during and after the event, so it’s important you arrive fully prepared and with the knowledge on how to handle the venue.

Read on to discover how to survive the LA Convention Center and attend your event like a pro.

Where is it?

1201 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

The LA Convention Center is located in Downtown LA, East of the 110 freeway. It’s situated on the corner of Figueroa Street and Pico Boulevard.

Don’t leave it until the last minute to think about travel arrangements or accommodation. You will want to focus most of your energy on getting the most from the trade show. Getting there itself should be relatively easy, so work out these details and cross them off your list as soon as possible.

Research the event beforehand

You know which event you’re going to book but have you looked at the floor plans yet? Learn which area your event is being held in and get to grip with the layout.

Not all booth spots are created equally so this research is essential for choosing the best booth position for your budget. Pick one that looks like it’s going to get heavy footfall – usually next to attractions, entryways, and amenities.

As well as looking at the plans for your specific event you can also view the interactive floor plans of the LA Convention Center here.

Know where and when to turn up

Large scale events have to run like a well-oiled machine. Hundreds of booth holders turning up with lorry loads of equipment need to be scheduled and coordinated so everyone can get themselves set up quickly.

When booking your event, you will be given details of which loading bay to turn up to and at what time. Don’t miss your time or go to a different spot – you will disrupt the schedule and make it difficult for the people that have arrived correctly.

Understand and abide by your booth restrictions and requirements

Like all large event complexes, the LA Convention Center is bound by strict health and safety regulations. They need to be certain that all exhibitors are abiding by their rules and regulations to provide a safe environment for all attendees. Every single detail needs to be taken into account and scrutinized to ensure it’s up to standard.

Read the LA Convention Center event planner from cover to cover. It goes through each and every aspect of an event and what the requirements and restrictions are and take measures to ensure you meet them.

If you’re unsure about any aspect of the planning guide, contact a member of staff at the LA Convention Center to clarify it.

By staying within the guidelines you will be protecting yourself – and the venue from liability, so it’s essential that you comply.

Don’t bring equipment that hasn’t been approved

To meet the strict health and safety requirements above, all equipment must be approved beforehand. Lights, technology, installations – you name it, they need to know about it. In addition, each piece of equipment you bring needs to meet their standards to ensure safety.

It can be tempting to decide last minute that you really need an extra lamp or you want to bring an extra monitor. To put it bluntly – don’t do it, under any circumstances. If you sneak in an unapproved piece of equipment that then goes wrong, not only will you be liable for damages but so will the LA Convention Center. It’s not worth the risk.

To avoid the need for additional equipment, ensure you’ve planned your booth sufficiently and carried out a couple of practice runs beforehand to make sure you have everything you need. Also, refer to the LA Convention Center event planner to check you’re bringing the right equipment.

Get your insurance in order

Most event venues won’t let you attend as an exhibitor unless you have all the necessary insurances in place and the LA Convention Center is no exception. Don’t get caught out and find you can’t attend because you forgot to get the right insurance or update your existing one.

Book your accommodation well in advance

With event attendees running into the thousands you can be sure that all of the nearby, conveniently located accommodation will be booked up.

Conventions are always early starts so you will want to make sure you can stay close by. Have a look at discoverLA.com to choose your accommodation – and book it as quickly as possible!

Bring adequate staff

The LA Convention Center has minimum staffing requirements depending on the size of the event so make sure you are bringing adequate staff for the event in question.

It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll need enough staff to assist with the set-up and take-down of your booth installation. Don’t find yourself unable to complete your setup because you didn’t bring enough people to help.

Also, ensure that your staff is trained sufficiently to do the job well.

Scope out the floor

Once you’re set up and ready to go, it’s essential to have a quick walk of the event space before the crowds arrive. Take note of the nearest restrooms, ATMs, and food and beverage stands. You’ll thank yourself for doing this later when you need one of them!

Most importantly, have fun at the event. The LA Convention Center is well-known for being one of the best so enjoy the experience in a fantastic venue.