New and Upcoming: 2015 – 2017

2015

  Los Angeles is one of the world's most dynamic cities, constantly evolving and expanding. Even frequent visitors and longtime residents who think they know L.A. can always discover something new in this exciting metropolis. Read on to find out more about the latest attractions and experiences awaiting in the City of Angels this year.

 

1. 1.     VISIT L.A.'S NEW MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITS

 

Los Angeles will welcome a spectacular new museum of contemporary art September 20, when The Broad opens on Grand Avenue in Downtown. The $140-million museum designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro creates a 120,000 square-foot, three-level facility with 50,000 square feet of gallery space, plus a lecture hall, public lobby with display space and a museum shop. Upon entering the lobby, visitors will travel up a 105-foot escalator, through the second-floor concrete vault, and enter the third-floor gallery, which features 23-foot ceilings and 318 skylights that filter in diffused sunlight through the building's exterior exoskeleton (aka “the veil”). The museum will offer free general admission to all.

 

The Broad's inaugural exhibition is entirely focused on the renowned contemporary art collection of Eli and Edythe Broad. Organized in a roughly chronological timeline, the exhibition will begin with Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg in the 50s and continue to the heart of the collection, 60s Pop Art by Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha and Roy Lichtenstein. The exhibition concludes with 70s and 80s works by Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jeff Koons.

 

Located directly south of the museum, a 24,000 square-foot public plaza features 100-year-old Barouni olive trees, an open lawn, and enhanced landscaping and improvements along Grand Avenue. On the western end of the plaza, restaurateur Bill Chait is developing a free-standing restaurant featuring chef Timothy Hollingsworth, former chef de cuisine at The French Laundry in Napa Valley.

 

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2015 with a remarkable exhibition of 50 works from numerous private collections. Since its inception in 1965, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)has been devoted to collecting works of art that span both history and geography, in addition to representing L.A.'s uniquely diverse population. Today LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection that includes over 120,000 objects dating from antiquity to the present, encompassing the geographic world and nearly the entire history of art. The works - including an early Double Marilyn by Andy Warhol - are gifts that have been promised to LACMA. The exhibition will include several works from the collection of billionaire philanthropist A. Jerrold Perenchio, who recently announced his agreement to bequest the most significant works of his collection to LACMA. The distinguished collection includes paintings by Claude Monet, LACMA's first painting by Edouard Manet, Pablo Picasso's early drawing Tête (Head of Fernande) (1909), and René Magritte's seminal painting Les Liaisons dangereuses (1935).

 

Widely regarded as one of the world's leading cultural venues for emerging artists, the Hammer Museum in Westwood celebrates its 25th anniversary in November. The museum was founded in 1990 by Armand Hammer as a venue to exhibit his extensive art collection. The Hammer houses a permanent collection with masterpieces by Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Sargent, as well as one of the world's finest collections of works on paper. Admission to the museum and its public programs is always free.

 

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino opened a new Education and Visitor Center in early 2015. The $68-million Steven S. Koblik Education and Visitor Center opened its northernmost section in mid-January, where visitors can experience the new ticketing area, coffee shop and a substantially expanded gift shop. The rest of the Education and Visitor Center – including a new auditorium, café, classrooms, meeting space, orientation gallery, and 6.5 acres of new gardens opened in April. The project also includes the addition of more than 40,000 square feet of underground storage space for The Huntington's growing collections of rare historical research and other materials.

 

The A+D Architecture and Design Museum is moving from Museum Row to a new home in the Arts District of Downtown L.A. A+D continues to be the only museum in Los Angeles where continuous exhibits of architecture and design are on view. The new A+D location is a 8,000 square-foot, one-story brick building located on East 4th Street at Colyton Street. The relocation is scheduled for completion in summer 2015. The new Arts District location is a return to Downtown L.A. for the museum, which opened in January 2001 in the landmark Bradbury Building. The museum's current location on Wilshire Boulevard is being replaced by the Wilshire/Fairfax station as part of the Metro Purple Line expansion.

 

The Wende Museum and Archive of the Cold Warpreserves the cultural artifacts and personal histories of Cold War-era Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to inform and inspire a broad understanding of the period and its enduring legacy. The museum's extraordinary collection of 100,000 items contains artifacts, personal histories and archival documents that record life, expression and political developments during the Cold War period from 1945 to 1991. The wide-ranging collection includes design objects, works on paper, ceramics, paintings, sculptures, posters, furniture, textiles, films and books. In 2015, the Wende will move to the former Culver City Armory, tripling its exhibition galleries and adding to a mile-long cultural corridor with numerous permanent public art installations, live music venues, theaters and museums. The Armory property nearly spans an acre and includes open land that will be converted into a community gathering space. A sculpture garden will eventually feature the museum's 11 Berlin Wall segments.

 

Slated to open in 2015, the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA)is the only museum in Southern California dedicated to the Italian American experience. IAMLA is located in the historic Italian Hall, adjacent to Olvera Street in Downtown. The now-restored Italian Hall was constructed in 1908 as a social and cultural center for the Italian community, in what was then the core of L.A.'s Little Italy. The interactive museum documents the history and continuing contributions of Italian Americans with vintage photographs and memorabilia, an oral history and research archive. In addition to featuring exhibitions, the museum will host events and cultural-educational programming.

 

 

1. 2.    UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD GETS SUPERCHARGED

 

 

 

The five-year transformation of the famed Upper Lot at Universal Studios Hollywood continues in 2015 with "Fast & Furious - Supercharged" and "Springfield." The project began with the launch of "Transformers: The Ride-3D" in 2012 and will culminate with the opening of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” in 2016.

The iconic Studio Tour will add a spectacular new finale when “Fast & Furious - Supercharged”opens in the summer of 2015. Based on the "Fast & Furious" action movie series, “Supercharged” is a dynamic hydraulic-motion based ride that catapults guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars. Housed in a new 50,000-square-foot building, “Supercharged” tells an original "Fast & Furious" story with hyper-realistic special effects that immerse guests in the the adrenaline-fueled "Fast & Furious" universe. State-of-the-art 3D-HD imagery is projected onto the world's longest and most expansive 360-degree screen, spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour passengers.

 

Recently opened, “Springfield”captures the spirit of the hometown of America's favorite family, The Simpsons. The vibrant and expansive space surrounding “The Simpsons Ride” will come alive with favorite locations from the 25-year run of the award-winning animated series. From famous eateries like Krusty Burger, Luigi's Pizza and Phineas Q. Butterfat's 5600 Flavors Ice Cream Parlor to iconic watering holes like Moe's Tavern and Duff's Brewery, guests feel as if they've stepped through their TV and into the colorful city of Springfield.

 

1. 3.    ATTEND THE YEAR'S BEST CONCERTS

 

Every year, Los Angeles welcomes the biggest names in music and 2015 will be no different. L.A. is home to an array of venues from outdoor spots such as the Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theater to iconic indoor locations like Walt Disney Concert Hall and STAPLES Center at L.A. LIVE. This year's great musical performances include Bette Midler (May 28), Taylor Swift (Aug. 21-22, 24-26), The Who celebrating their 50-year legacy of iconic songs (Sept. 21) at the STAPLES Center and Andrea Bocelli (June 7) at the Hollywood Bowl, among many more. Annual music festivals include FYF Fest (August 2015) at State Historic Park and the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl (June 2015). Other popular music events at the Bowl include July 4 Fireworks with Smokey Robinson (July 2015) and a L.A. Phil tribute concert with E.T.  the Extra-Terrestrial (Sept. 2015).

 

1. 4.    JOIN THE FESTIVITIES

 

Highlights of L.A.'s multicultural events include Chinese New Year celebrations in February, the 26th annual Fiesta Broadway in Downtown L.A. (April 16), and the Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Little Tokyo, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary in August (dates TBA).

 

The BET Experience is a three-day weekend event at L.A. LIVE in Downtown L.A., featuring a celebration of music, entertainment and culture that coincides with the BET Awards, taking place on Sunday, June 29 at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

 

West Hollywood is home to Southern California's largest LGBT community, and is the site of the annual Gay Pride parade(June 12-14), as well as the Halloween Costume Carnaval, the largest Halloween street party in the world. For more Halloween fun, head to Universal Studios Hollywood, where hundreds of thousands of horror fans make Halloween Horror Nights the scariest event in L.A.

 

The holidays in Los Angeles are unlike any other city, with numerous outdoor ice skating rinks, the Hollywood Christmas Parade and the L.A. County Holiday Celebration.

 

5.  EAT, DRINK AND dineL.A.

 

dineLA's Restaurant Week is a 12-day event held twice a year in January and July where diners can get a taste of the vibrant L.A. restaurant scene with specially-priced meals. dineL.A. features $15, $20 and $25 lunch menus and $30, $40 and $50 dinner menus from hundreds of L.A. County's most exciting restaurants. From lobster tacos and ceviche along the coast to osso bucco and bruschetta in Downtown, dineLA's Restaurant Week is the perfect opportunity to explore L.A.'s diverse neighborhoods, cuisines and dining experiences at a great value. Summer 2015 Restaurant Week takes place July 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

1. 5.     WELCOME THE WORLD TO THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS                               

 

Los Angeles is hosting the Special Olympics World Games, taking place July 25 to Aug. 2. The biennial World Games are the flagship events of the Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the Special Olympics World Games will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in L.A. since the 1984 Olympic Games. Athletes will compete in 25 Olympic-style sports in venues across L.A., including USC, UCLA and the Los Angeles Convention Center. The opening ceremonies are taking place at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

 

 

7.  CHEER FOR CHAMPIONS ACROSS L.A.

 

 

An amazing year of Los Angeles sports events began with the 101st Rose Bowl and continues with the LA Marathon, March Madness, and the crosstown battle for the Victory Bell.

 

On Sunday, March 15, thousands of runners navigated their way from Downtown L.A. to Santa Monica in the 30th annual LA Marathon. The 2015 LA Marathon was the sixth running of the iconic “Stadium to the Sea” course, which takes runners from Dodger Stadium to the Pacific Ocean. Runners passed many of L.A.'s world‐famous landmarks along the way, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, TCL Chinese Theatre, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and the Santa Monica Pier.

 

For fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers, it doesn't get any better than the second annual Dodgers All-Access, taking place at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, June 11, 2015. Dodgers All-Access is a fun, informative and unique networking opportunity for diehard fans and newbies alike. The Dodgers All-Access experience includes batting practice in the Dodgers batting cage, pitching in the bullpen, buffet dinner on the field, special tours and photo opportunities with legendary players at iconic spots in the stadium. At the inaugural event in 2014, participants included Ron Cey, Ned Colletti, Tommy Davis, Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez, John Hartung, Orel Hershiser, Stan Kasten, Clayton Kershaw, Rob Manfred, Don Mattingly, Vin Scully, Reggie Smith, Fernando Valenzuela, Maury Wills and Steve Yeager. Individual tickets are priced at $550 and tables and sponsorship packages are available.

 

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has announced that Los Angeles is one of 13 North American cities to host the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, taking place July 7-26, 2015. Taking place every two years, the Gold Cup is the official national team championship of the region, drawing capacity crowds and millions of television viewers across the region. Featuring the highest-level players from across the confederation, the tournament includes the three previous Gold Cup champions – Canada (1 Gold Cup), Mexico (6), and the U.S. (5) – as well as the top finishers from the

 

On Aug. 7-9, 2015, the Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament returns to the streets of L.A. LIVE in Downtown. Nike 3ON3 features three fun-filled days of basketball, entertainment, food, giveaways and more. All skill levels are invited to compete in the tournament, from “ballers” in the Adult Elite Division to Youth, Wheelchair and Special Olympics divisions. The Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament has grown to become one of the largest 3ON3 street basketball tournaments and fan fests in Los Angeles. Annual participation in the tournament exceeds 1,200 teams, 4,500 players and 25,000 spectators, with participants and spectators coming from all over the country.

 

Heading into its 55th year, the Manhattan Beach Open is the longest running, continuous tournament in beach volleyball. Every summer, the most talented men and women in the sport convene on the golden sand to compete for a share of the $200,000 prize purse and to have their names enshrined on the historic Manhattan Beach Pier. An official stop of the AVP tour, the Manhattan Beach Open offers a full weekend of world class beach volleyball and fun that has the coastal community, beach volleyball enthusiasts and beach lovers alike participating in an entire weekend of sun filled activities. The Manhattan Beach Open is a free event and takes place just south of the pier. The August 2015 dates are TBA.

 

One of the most storied rivalries in all of college sports is renewed once again when the UCLA Bruins face off against the USC Trojans on Saturday, Nov. 28 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The intense rivalry includes some of the greatest college football players in history and one of the all-time great football games, the 1967 “Game of the Century,” when No. 4 USC defeated No. 1 UCLA 21-20 and went on to win the National Championship. UCLA currently owns city bragging rights, defeating its crosstown rival three years in a row. USC leads the overall series, 44-31-7.

 

For the first time, the 101st Rose Bowl Game was a College Football Playoff semifinal game that was held on Jan. 1, 2015 at the landmark Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. One of the highlights of the Tournament of Roses, “The Granddaddy of Them All” featured the Oregon Ducks versus the Florida State Seminoles. The Ducks beat the Seminoles 59-20 and played the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Championship a week later at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 102nd Rose Bowl Game will take place on New Year's Day in 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. ENJOY THE VIEW AT U.S. BANK TOWER        

 

The U.S. Bank Tower rises over 1,000 feet above Downtown L.A. It's currently the tallest building in California, the 11th tallest in the United States, the tallest west of the Mississippi River and the 65th tallest building in the world. The building was famously destroyed at the start of the alien attack in the 1996 sci-fi film "Independence Day." The tower is undergoing a $50-million upgrade that includes a renovation of the lobby and the addition of an observation deck and restaurant. Scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2015, the observation deck will be located on the 69th and 70th floors - the outdoor terraces will be accessed from the 69th floor. The restaurant will be located on the 71st floor. Admission to the observation deck is expected to be $25.

 

10.  SHOP TIL YOU DROP  

The historic Downtown L.A. building formerly known as Macy's Plaza is undergoing a $160-million transformation into The Bloc, a modern, pedestrian-friendly destination. The project includes opening up the structure to allow more light, a $40-million upgrade of the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel, street-accessible stores and restaurants, and internal access to the Metro Rail station directly below the building. The Bloc will be the largest single mixed-use property in the city, featuring a 750,000-square-foot luxury office tower and more than 400,000 square feet of retail and outdoor space. Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse, known for screening first run, independent and revival films, is opening a nine-screen movie house at The Bloc. Renovation of the 2.4 million-square-foot property is expected to be completed by fall 2015.

 

The Westfield Corporation's continuing investment in the future of Los Angeles' Warner Center business district and the heavily populated San Fernando Valley will take center stage with the September 2015 opening of the brand new, open-air Village at Westfield Topanga. This new central gathering place for shopping, dining, events, entertainment and leisure will provide local residents and visitors a destination experience unlike any other in the San Fernando Valley.

Directly across the street from the power shopping mecca at Westfield Topanga (with shuttle service connecting the Westfield properties and the adjacent Orange Line transit station), The Village will showcase trendy local fashion and lifestyle brands, sensational restaurants offering al fresco patio dining, a full-service gym, spa and yoga studio, along with weekly farmer's market and more, all under a canopy of native trees and vegetation.

 

11.  TRANSPORTATION    

Delta Air Lines and Los Angeles World Airports are currently underway on a $229 million renovation of Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The construction project has already begun and is scheduled to take place in several phases with full completion in 2015. Newly opened vendors include: Farmers Market To Go, Loteria! Grill and Skewers by Morimoto.

The Metro Gold Line, which currently runs from Pasadena to Los Angeles Union Station, will extend its service east along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The second phase of this project is expected to be complete in the Fall of 2015 and will see the line extended to Azusa.

 

2016

 

1. ACCOMMODATIONS

 

The James hotel brand will arrive to the Los Angeles area, where it will be situated in the heart of the iconic Sunset Strip at the southeast corner of Sunset and La Cienega Boulevards in West Hollywood. The property will be the first new ground-up hotel in West Hollywood in approximately 30 years, and will be comprised of two 10-story towers with 286 rooms, two restaurants, rooftop and lobby bars and approximately 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

 

TRANSPORTATION

The Metro Expo Line, which currently runs from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, will add seven stations to extend to Santa Monica serving popular destinations along the Westside.  The project is expected to be complete in early 2016. 

 

2017

 

1. ACCOMMODATIONS

 

Opening downtown in 2017, Wilshire Grand, a $1 billion tower soaring 73-stories will be a mixed-use office and hotel tower with 900 rooms, 400,000 square feet of office space, an observation deck, shops and restaurants.

 

The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills will be a new 12-story, 170-room luxury hotel that will rise at the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards in Beverly Hills.  The hotel is slated to open in 2017. 

 

2. ATTRACTIONS

 

The much-anticipated Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (AMMP) is heading to the historic May Co. department store building at Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave., currently known as LACMA West. The museum, scheduled to open in 2017, will celebrate and explore how film has reflected and shaped world culture and will feature permanent and rotating exhibits in the 300,000-square-foot facility.

 

1. 3.     TRANSPORTATION

 

 

For more information about travel experiences in Los Angeles, go to the official visitor information website of Los Angeles at www.discoverLosAngeles.com, join the more than one million people who follow L.A. Tourism's Facebook page at facebook.com/LosAngelesFan or follow @discoverLA on Twitter and Instagram.

###

 

Media Contact:                                                  

press@LATourism.org

DiscoverLosAngeles.com/tourism/media-room