Expo Park is so not ready for its close up
The headlines that trumpet a "$350 million makeover" for Expo Park ahead of 2028 are flat-out misleading
Bring your questions about megaevent planning and join us live on Zoom on November 18 for the next Torched Talks
As a transportation researcher and urban planning lecturer, Juan Matute currently serves as deputy director of UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies. He's also the coordinator for the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Symposium Mega Events: Major Opportunities, where attendees met last month to "develop concrete plans for leveraging these megaevents to create lasting public benefits." Juan recently published a report on the symposium — which I also wrote about here at Torched — that highlights the frustrations and concerns about LA's current megaevent-planning approach.
I spoke with Juan in September about the goals for the symposium and it's been remarkable to watch how the program evolved from idea to execution. Juan thoughtfully convened 170 attendees from a wide range of perspectives, offering a space for criticism while building a constructive path forward. Along the way he's also built an encyclopedic knowledge of LA megaevent history. We'll talk about the report, its recommendations, and how LA, as a region, can meet its megaevent moment. And yes — in light of recent events, we will also talk about how LA still needs funding and approvals from the federal government for its megaevent-related transportation projects.
Here's a recording of this Torched Talks! If you want access to all these talks, become a paid subscriber now.
Torched Talks with UCLA's Juan Matute
Monday, November 18
12 to 1 p.m. PT
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84230219150?pwd=PNUXltArPypQmQEwOfp9RaT7QZg98F.1
Meeting ID: 842 3021 9150
Passcode: 481252
Here's the link to the invite and the LinkedIn event
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