The city of Los Angeles has given its go-ahead for an expansion and the renovation of the Los Angeles Convention Center with a budget of $2.6 billion. According to the authorities, a project like this is a key factor for surviving in the global events market.

The extension will bring new exhibition space, meeting rooms with flexible configurations, and other modern amenities. However, the work will be stopped during the 2028 Games to avoid any disturbance.

The plan depicts the addition of new halls with a size of more than 240,000 square feet, meeting rooms that are 100,000 square feet, and the transformation of the grand lobby into a glass-roofed one opening towards Figueroa Street. Officials state that the proposal will provide for the replacement of worn-out infrastructure and allow for the accommodation of the Department's projects. Still, some warn that the convention demand has been decreasing, which may make the large investment a risky one.

Questions raised are about the priorities related to public spending, possible disturbance in the neighborhood, and the issues that will continue with maintenance, as the reports on graffiti and the deterioration of utilities in the facility clearly emphasize. However, Mayor Karen Bass, with the support of other officials, remains firm on the issue and argues that it's highly necessary to refresh the downtown’s largest civic venue both for tourism and business.

The project shows a national trend of significant convention center investments. As reported by Contractor News, Dallas is pushing forward with a $3.8 billion redevelopment project for the convention center, while there are other major civic buildings that rank among the largest ongoing infrastructure projects in the U.S.

According to authorities in the city, the extension might create many jobs in the construction sector and have a considerable impact on the occupancy of hotels and the revenue of tourism after the end of the construction work. 

Through this project, Los Angeles is predicting the city's viability for hosting larger conventions and global events, in the hopes that the investment will become a regional economic powerhouse, ensuring local businesses, restaurants, and cultural attractions receive a fair share of the influx.

If everything goes according to plan, the Los Angeles Convention Center will be enshrined as a place to convene, show trades, and organize events with new, modern, and flexible facilities. Yet, the question of the timing and the cost will possibly keep some debate alive throughout the long period after the ceremonial first inauguration.