Downtown LA's Momentum and What It Means for ALIS Delegates

Jeff Higley, President of the Hotel Investment Group by Northstar, talked with Javier Cano, Area General Manager for Marriott International in Los Angeles, about what's reshaping downtown LA ahead of the city's Olympic moment and to address the question ALIS attendees keep asking: what's the safety picture really like?

Cano points to three catalysts already in motion: the LA Convention Center's expansion, on track and positioned as a centerpiece for the Olympics; a $2 billion, 7.6-acre mixed-use development breaking ground in the Arts District; and renewed movement on the long-stalled Oceanwide site after its debt changed hands earlier this year.

On safety, Cano makes the case with numbers; over 100,000 residents downtown, more than a million visitors a year through Lakers and Kings games, convention traffic, and major events like the recent Anime Expo that drew 100,000 people over the July 4th weekend alone. He points to expanded police presence, direct lines to City Hall, and downtown's track record hosting the NBA All-Star Game, the Super Bowl, FIFA matches, and now the Olympics as evidence the city has handled scale before.

Watch the video for the full conversation about Cano's take on downtown's cultural draw, from the California Science Center's space shuttle to the new Lucas Museum, and why he believes the momentum favors ALIS 2027 delegates.