California Love: ESPN To Launch L.A. Operation In Spring '09

ESPN "is on track to open by spring 2009 a full-fledged broadcast production facility across from Staples Center" in L.A., according to Greg Johnson of the L.A. TIMES. The five-story building "will house an ESPN Zone restaurant on the first two floors and two television production studios with digital control rooms on upper floors." ESPN's late-night edition of "SportsCenter" will be broadcast from one of the studios, and ESPN "also will house its 710 radio station studios next door in an office building now under construction." Former ESPN Managing Editor Bob Eaton, who will oversee the project as a consultant, indicated that ESPN's TV, radio and Internet operations "will have about 100 employees here when the facility opens."  ESPN/ABC President George Bodenheimer: "We'll be moving some of our highest-potential folks out here." Johnson notes the new facility is "expected to shorten the workday for some in Bristol." ESPN "also expects to leverage its proximity to Hollywood to create its own entertainment offerings," and the ESPY awards in '08 will be held at AEG's Nokia Theatre, another piece of the L.A. Live development.  Bodenheimer declined to disclose the cost, but TV industry insiders have "speculated that the building would cost ESPN" about $100M. One broadcast industry engineer estimated the cost of digital technology for the TV studio at $35-45M, "with related construction costs of about $20[M] -- not including the restaurant," which will open in late '08 (L.A. TIMES, 12/18).