E3 considering other venues
Contract for the Los Angeles Convention Center is up after 2015 and the ESA may decide to pursue another city
The annual E3 Expo may have a new home in the near future, if recent comments this week by Entertainment Software Association boss Mike Gallagher are any indication. "E3 is a world class show that deserves a world class venue. The Los Angeles Convention Center is no longer a top-tier property," Gallagher said, according to CNBC.
If this story feels familiar, that's because the ESA has mentioned leaving the Convention Center before. Just a couple years ago, Gallagher had mentioned that the construction of the proposed Farmers Field and rebuilt convention center were a major concern for E3. However, Los Angeles and the ESA then managed to reach a three-year deal - that agreement is set to expire in 2015, and it's starting to look likely that E3 will ditch its long-time LACC home. A decision should be coming soon.
"The time to make this decision is relatively short," Gallagher said. "We'll consider all cities that can improve the experience."
CNBC noted ESA insiders pointed out that Chicago came close to winning the E3 contract last time, and other cities being considered are San Francisco, New York and New Orleans.
Gallagher and the ESA generally do not seem happy with the LACC, pointing to problems like the spread out floor plan, the need for attendees to walk long distances between appointments, the crowded housing issues, and the general age of the building itself.