Emmys' Nokia Move Made Official

Eric Richardson

The 7,100 seat Nokia Theatre opened in October, 2007.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES —

Variety is reporting that the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences has officially signed on to move its Emmy Awards to the Nokia Theatre. Award shows were a big target for AEG in the theatre's design, and the show's move was widely expected. The awards had previously been handed out down Figueroa in the Shrine Auditorium. Downtown gets a very positive pitch.

ATAS plans to move its post-show Governors Ball to the Los Angeles Convention Center next door and has started conversations with studios and networks about locating their after-Emmy parties downtown (much as CBS Paramount did last year with its "Entertainment Tonight" shindig at Walt Disney Concert Hall).

It's that ability to "dump and load once," said AEG prexy-chief exec Tim Leiweke, that is one of AEG's big selling points.

"We're very aware of the issues of getting people in and around Los Angeles," he said. "Downtown's easy, and it's the highest of priorities to convince the entertainment industry to get people to come and leave once. It's an ability to have a bigger event and, from a cost standpoint, gives people the opportunity to host these parties at a more reasonable cost."

The move is a great highlight of the energy that a venue like the Nokia can create for other spaces Downtown.