PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER
ADDRESS: 8687 Melrose Ave., Suite M60, West Hollywood, CA 90069
WEB SITE: www.pacificdesigncenter.com
QUALITY AND QUANTITY: The Pacific Design Center's sleek, vividly colored glass buildings stand out from the crowd, both aesthetically and as event venues. Among its unique event spaces are the center's SilverScreen Theater, which pays homage to the silent film era with a decor palette of blacks, grays and whites, and the luminous Center Blue Galleria, one of the largest sky-lit spaces in Los Angeles. The first-floor Blue Lobby accommodates trade and fashion shows with extra-wide corridors.
SIZE MATTERS: The center offers seven event locations throughout its 1.2-million-square-foot campus, including a 2-acre plaza with lush landscaping and terrace decks; the entire center can be rented to accommodate 5,000 guests. The plaza holds up to 1,400 guests seated and 2,500 reception-style; the space is also available for tenting. Holding court in the center's striking Blue Building, the Wolfgang Puck Restaurant offers sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills and can accommodate up to 2,000 guests reception-style.
BIG SPACE, BIG NAMES: The center has played host to Elton John's annual Oscar party, HBO, NBC and Showtime events, as well as film screenings by Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros. and Buena Vista Pictures, among others.
ALHAMBRA PALACE RESTAURANT
ADDRESS: 1240 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL 60607
WEB SITE: www.alhambrapalacerestaurant.com
QUALITY AND QUANTITY: The Alhambra Palace Restaurant welcomes event guests with bright, warm colors and opulent accents of crystal and gold; its architecture is fashioned after an Arabian castle. Event spaces include the Chicago Historical Center, which features a stained-glass dome ceiling, and the Green Dolphin Room, an ideal spot for dancing to live music. The 13th century Spanish fortress-inspired restaurant offers customizable special event accommodations, including a ballroom and two VIP rooms. The restaurant serves Moroccan cuisine with a French twist.
SIZE MATTERS: Large-scale weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and corporate holiday parties take advantage of the multilevel venue's 24,000 square feet of event space, which can hold up to 12,000 people. The Alhambra Room, the restaurant's main dining space, along with its adjacent bar can seat more than 700 guests.
BIG SPACE, BIG NAMES: The restaurant accommodates celebrity after-parties, including those of pop singers Fergie and Beyonce. The Silver Plume Awards, Chicago's concierge award ceremony, took place at the restaurant last year and will again this year.
WAIKOLOA BOWL AT WAIKOLOA BEACH RESORT
ADDRESS: 250 Waikoloa Beach Resort, Waikoloa, HI 96738
WEB SITE: www.waikoloabeachresort.com
QUALITY AND QUANTITY: The Waikoloa Bowl at Waikoloa Beach Resort offers versatile entertainment amenities and meeting space on the Big Island of Hawaii. Located next to world-class hotels and championship golf courses, the unconventional meeting space offers catering and hotel accommodations in partnership with the Waikoloa Beach Resort hotels and condominiums. Event packages include entertainment tickets, overnight stays and complimentary bottles of champagne in guest rooms. The adjacent Queens' Gardens showcases live music and film festivals throughout the year, while the Queens' Marketplace offers more than 65 shops and eateries.
SIZE MATTERS: The open-air venue can accommodate some 5,500 special event and convention guests. The bowl features a raised stage; a seating area and large lawn are available for hosting pre-function dining and events.
BIG SPACE, BIG NAMES: Musical supergroup Earth, Wind and Fire kicked off Waikoloa Bowl's grand opening celebration on Aug. 30.
EVENT DECK AT L.A. LIVE
ADDRESS: 1005 W. Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles, CA 90015
WEB SITE: www.lalive.com
QUALITY AND QUANTITY: The $2.5 billion L.A. LIVE entertainment district is changing the face of downtown Los Angeles, and the project's Event Deck puts parties right in the middle of the action. Located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center, Staples Center and NOKIA Theatre, the space offers city skyline views with easy freeway access.
SIZE MATTERS: The Event Deck treats planners to 106,000 square feet of flexible space, including a 42,000-square-foot tent. As many as 5,000 guests can munch on menus from Wolfgang Puck Catering. The venue is ramp-accessible for easy load-in and -out; power and water sources are available. Venue management can handle security, electrical support, parking, tenting and rentals.
BIG SPACE, BIG NAMES: Events such as the American Music Awards after-party, X Games, “American Idol” finale party and “Speed Racer” premiere party have all hit the Event Deck.
