ESPN plans to construct a new building with two HD studios and a radio studio, giving the network a large presence in the planned LA Live sports and entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles.
Expected to open in 2009, the five-story building will be part of the 4-million-sq-ft LA Live district, which is being developed by AEG adjacent to STAPLES Center. The sports network’s new studios will be in an ESPN-branded 120,000sq-ft building.
The top three floors of the building will accommodate 70,000sq ft of production facilities with two HD studios, one being 7500sq ft, the other 5000sq ft. The floors will also contain supporting television production components, including control rooms, master control facilities, editing facilities, a screening and newsroom area, production space and more. A radio studio will be located on the fifth floor.
Additional production locations in the building, including outside balconies and glassed-in areas, will overlook LA Live, the STAPLES Center and other parts of downtown Los Angeles. While specific plans are not finalized, a variety of programs are expected to originate from the LA-based studios, including ESPN Original Entertainment series, “SportsCenter” segments and much more.
The bottom two floors will house an approximately 30,000-sq-ft ESPN Zone, featuring a retail section, a dining area and an arcade.
