L.A. Starts to Think Big Again : The expanded convention center--what a nice place to visit!

Was last week’s reopening of an expanded Los Angeles Convention Center the last hurrah for a city whose growth epitomized thinking big? We hope not. But if future historians do look back for a symbol of all the recent ups and downs of the city’s Downtown, the Convention Center would certainly be apt.

Although opened only in 1971, when prosperity and other good things seemed to come Southern California’s way so effortlessly, the old Convention Center very quickly became outdated. It was surpassed not only by new convention facilities in New York and Atlanta, but even by friendly rivals in nearby Anaheim and San Diego.

Four years ago, city officials decided to float revenue bonds to modernize and expand the Convention Center, spending about $500 million to more than double the center’s exhibition and meeting space to 805,000 square feet. The result is the dramatic new building on Figueroa Street, just north of Venice Boulevard, that opened Wednesday to a convention of amusement-park operators. It’s the most expensive city building ever built--but a necessary gamble given the vital importance of tourism and international trade to this region.

The new center still has problems, most notably the lack of quality hotels within easy walking distance. But the early signs are positive. Next year 20 conventions will be held there, a big improvement over three last year.

But to really get the word out that L.A. is back as a convention city, local officials have to think big. How about inviting both major political parties to hold their conventions here in 1996? It worked for Miami Beach in ‘72, didn’t it?