For Distinctive Spaces and Cost Savings of up to $500,000, Turn to Long Beach

With its oceanfront location in sunny Southern California, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center (LBCEC) boasts scenic views within walking distance of 120 restaurants and bars. But what sets LBCEC apart from other centers is its one-of-a-kind turnkey venues — 400,000-plus square feet of spectacular meeting and exhibit space with fully customizable design and comfortable décor. And it’s all part of LBCEC’s affordable standard package. Depending on the size of the event, planners could save up to $500,000 by taking advantage of all of Long Beach’s offerings.

For Erika Respress, trade show manager for The Bronner Brothers International Beauty Show, which will meet at LBCEC in July, the savings created by the site’s turnkey options made all the difference. “It’s a full service that cuts your expenses 40 percent,” she said in a testimonial video. “You tell them what you want to do and they do it — they have it all figured out.”

The Long Beach team works with organizers to help them realize their vision and create unforgettable, immersive experiences for every type of group meeting at the center. Lynn M. Gangone, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), was impressed with the center’s staff.

“We will have a comprehensive center that has staff who are incredible and an amazing commitment to making our annual meeting the best it could be,” Gangone, whose organization will meet in Long Beach in 2025, said in another testimonial.

Here is a sampling of the LBCEC turnkey meeting spaces that continue to impress meeting planners.

Terrace Lobby and Plaza — A stunning indoor/outdoor venue, the Terrace Lobby and Plaza dazzles with its glowing geometric installations, comfortable modular seating, outdoor fire pits, entrancing programmable dancing fountains — and significant cost savings. Whether your attendees are playing Ping-Pong, lounging beneath the beautiful California sky, or enjoying the stunning views of downtown Long Beach through the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling windows, they will be delighted by these flexible spaces.

Pacific Ballroom — With its suspension grid ceiling, built-in lighting, and ability to be adjusted by size, shape, and atmosphere, the Pacific Ballroom saves planners hours of sourcing outside vendors — and thousands of dollars. Whether organizers are planning to host 100 or 5,000 guests, they can create a phenomenal experience in the ballroom. Just outside the ballroom is the Pacific Gallery and Patio, an indoor/outdoor setting accommodating up to 2,000 attendees.

Rainbow Bridge — Shaped to mimic the rise and fall of a breaking wave, the Rainbow Bridge is a spot for attendees to enjoy an evening beneath thousands of twinkling LED lights that are fully customizable. This fully immersive, state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge unites both sides of the LBCEC campus.

The Cove — With its six crystal chandeliers providing an urban chic and elegant atmosphere, The Cove is perfect for prefunction receptions, concerts, and street parties. This distinctive, 50,000-square-foot outdoor space can entertain up to 2,200 people. And everything is customizable — LED lights, LED-lit game tables, and special catering setups.

While all these turnkey spaces at LBCEC are designed for high impact at affordable prices, they’re also meant to help attendees connect with each other. Those connections are the purpose of meetings, too, said Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE, executive director of the American Physiological Society, whose summit will be held in Long Beach in 2023 and 2024.

“The whole center seems to be designed to facilitate human connection — which is amazing,” Steen said in his LBCEC testimonial video. The spaces are “exciting and innovative and creative — and a blast.”