SITE: Los Angeles Center Studios
ADDRESS: 1201 W. Fifth St., Suite T-100, Los Angeles, CA 90017
PHONE: 213/534-3000
WEB SITE: www.lacenterstudios.com
BRIEF HISTORY: Located in downtown Los Angeles, the studio campus covers 20 acres, including state-of-the-art sound stages that have been used for movies such as “Charlie's Angels” and “Legally Blonde 2.” The site is popular for car displays, product launches, large-scale corporate events and fund-raisers.
EVENT AREAS: Indoor and outdoor space including four blocks of city streets, the Beaudry and Tower buildings, and sound stages give the venue a total guest capacity of 10,000; the Beaudry Building features a 400-seat theater and two outdoor patios offering views of the L.A. skyline; the renovated Tower building features black terrazzo floors and glass and aluminum walls.
SPECIAL SPACE: The six 18,000-square-foot sound stages have ceilings ranging in height from 35 feet to 43 feet and can each accommodate 750 people for seated events and 1,000 for receptions.
EVENT CLIENTS: NBA Players Association All-Star gala; Magic Johnson's “A Midsummer Night's Magic” charity event; Sony PlayStation; Activision; Maxim.
“Our location is virtually a blank canvas, with a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. I've noticed that people want innovative lounge-type settings … unique design elements and creative lighting play a huge role in setting the tone of the event.”
— Erica Chambers, director, special events
SITE: The Grand Prospect Hall
ADDRESS: 263 Prospect Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215
PHONE: 718/788-0777
WEB SITE: www.grandprospect.com
BRIEF HISTORY: Originally built as a social and civic hall, the 114-year-old National Historic Landmark was the site of political rallies by Teddy Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan, baptismal parties and masked balls. The building now serves as an elegant venue for corporate meetings, charity events and the large-scale weddings popular among many of New York's ethnic communities.
EVENT AREAS: The entire venue can be rented out for events of up to 8,000 guests. Spaces include the 700-capacity Grandview Room, 500-capacity Skylight Room, and the 200-capacity Oak Room and 120-capacity Speakeasy Room, both of which feature oak paneling and plush furniture. The 1,000-capacity Atrium and 600-capacity Atrium Terrace adjoin the 10,000-square-foot Prospect Gardens, which can accommodate 500 to 700 guests.
SPECIAL SPACE: The 10,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom features two balconies, 45-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and a full stage with proscenium arch. Including balconies, the ballroom has a reception capacity of 2,000.
EVENT CLIENTS: Colonial Insurance; Chase Manhattan Bank; Council of Italian-American Organizations.
“Grand Prospect Hall taken as a whole [is] one of the largest spaces in New York outside of the Javits Center. Planners more than ever are looking for a special destination, a knockout space that will wow attendees, especially for the last night of meetings.”
— Michael Halkias, owner/general manager
SITE: Former South Weymouth Naval Air Station
ADDRESS: 223 Shea Memorial Blvd., South Weymouth, MA 02190
PHONE: 781/682-2187
WEB SITE: www.ssttdc.com
BRIEF HISTORY: Located 15 miles south of downtown Boston, this 1,385-acre site served as a military base for more than 50 years. The site, which has ample parking and room for huge tented events, has been used for auto shows, ride-and-drive events and expositions.
EVENT AREAS: The site features some 2 million square feet of paved runways and an additional million square feet of space surrounding an aviation hangar; it recently served as the site for a three-day balloon festival and carnival that drew crowds of 90,000.
SPECIAL SPACE: The 70,000-square-foot Hangar One, a former aviation hangar, features 250 feet by 275 feet of unobstructed space, 40-foot clear ceilings and two 150-foot-wide doors. The space was used to film the 2001 Aerosmith video “Fly Away.”
EVENT CLIENTS: Avon Walk for Breast Cancer; DaimlerChrysler; General Motors.
“Clients deal with one person — the facilities manager — for all arrangements, and all necessary vendors [will] work with them to expedite everything.”
— Stanley Hurwitz, community outreach coordinator
