LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Auto Show may change its traditional November date in 2020 if expansion plans at the city's Convention Center do not allocate enough space.
Terri Toennies, president of ANSA Productions, which owns and operates the auto show, said in a statement : "At this time, the L.A. auto show is working with the L.A. Convention Center on their future expansion construction plans and will not be able to confirm future dates of the show until these plans have been shared. If the construction plans interfere with the ability to provide adequate L.A. auto show exhibit, activation and storage space to our clients, we will need to relocate the show, which would result in a change of our standard dates."
Los Angeles entertainment giant Anschutz Entertainment Group proposed a $1.2 billion expansion of the L.A. Convention Center and JW Marriott hotel to city officials in May. The plan called for adding as much as 350,000 square feet of the South Figueroa Street center, giving it more than 1.2 million square feet, including 250,000 square feet of meeting rooms, the convention center said in a statement.
The proposed construction plan also included a $500 million addition that would result in about 800,000 square feet of exhibition space, the L.A. Convention Center said.
The auto show business has been facing numerous challenges in recent years as auto makers reconsider which shows to pick for presenting new products. Some are opting to host more exclusive events to unveil new vehicles so they can avoid having the spotlight stolen by competing auto makers—not to mention the cost of a glitzy auto show stage presentation.
In seeking to reinvent itself following decades as a January venue, the Detroit Auto Dealers Association signed a deal with Detroit's Cobo Center in December to hold the North American International Auto Show in June through 2026.
The summer date change was announced last year following decisions by European auto makers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz to skip the 2019 show.
Organizers are hoping the new date will also help the Detroit auto show break through the clutter of competing events, including the CES technology expo in Las Vegas—and avoid the typically miserable January weather.
Changing the L.A. Auto Show date may also allow the event to capture more foot traffic and automaker participation. November is also shared by the SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The 2019 show will run during the Thanksgiving holiday season, Nov. 22-Dec. 1 at the L.A. Convention Center.