Eric Richardson []

While still a construction site, this patio space at L.A. Live's J.W. Marriott will soon become outdoor seating for a new restaurant named L.A. Market.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — File this as an unconfirmed rumor, but blogdowntown believes that Kerry Simon will be the celebrity consulting chef for L.A. Market, the ground-floor restaurant at L.A. Live's JW Marriott.

Simon currently runs one restaurant in Los Angeles, at the Sofitel Hotel, and two in Las Vegas, CatHouse at the Luxor and Simon Restaurant and Lounge at the Palms.

A tipster on an early morning flight from Washington D.C. to LAX this week overheard talk of the deal and passed on word to blogdowntown.

Paul Rossi, Director of Food and Beverage for the JW Marriott, declined to comment on the Simon rumor, but said that an announcement could come next week. Simon similarly gave blogdowntown a "No comment."

The restaurant will be one of two in the hotel and condo tower, which will feature an 878-room JW Marriott and a 123-room Ritz Carlton. The L.A. Market space will seat approximately 200, with indoor and outdoor seating, the latter surrounded by a patio water feature.

How's this for circumstantial supporting evidence? Brad Nelson, Marriott's Culinary VP and Corporate Chef, was in town last month to tour the new hotel tower. On October 22, :

Toured the LA Live JW Marriott & Ritz Carlton site today, opening in Feb. All I can say...spectacular!

He at 1am the next morning with:

Had dinner at Simon|LA. Great, simple American classics with an innovative touch by Kerry Simon

The restaurant and the hotel are scheduled to open on February 15, 2010.