In 2029, the Academy Awards ceremony will be moved from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, where it has been held since 2002, to the Peacock Theater at LA LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, home of the Primetime Emmy Awards since 2008. The move is part of a new 10-year deal struck between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and AEG, the two organizations announced Thursday.
The 2029 Academy Awards, the academy’s 101st ceremony, will also be the first to be broadcast on YouTube, as part of another deal reached late last year.
AEG, the developer and owner of numerous high-profile sports and entertainment venues around the world, will oversee major improvements to the Peacock Theater in advance of the Oscars relocation, including upgrades to the stage, sound and lighting systems, lobbies, backstage facilities and additional critical production areas. According to the announcement, AEG will also collaborate closely with the Academy to incorporate custom design elements needed to accommodate the Academy Awards ceremony.
LA LIVE, the 23-acre, 4-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district, recently expanded its arena, which will host Oscars red carpet arrivals and activities. Far more people will be able to attend the Oscars at the Peacock Theatre, which currently seats 7,100, than at the 3,400-seat Dolby Theatre. (By the time of the transfer, the Peacock Theater may have a different name, as its naming rights will be up for grabs in 2028.)
“We are thrilled to partner with a global powerhouse like AEG,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement. “Their track record in building and operating technologically advanced live performance venues is unparalleled. For the 101st Academy Awards and beyond, the Academy looks forward to collaborating closely with AEG to make LA LIVE the ideal backdrop for our global celebration of cinema, both for our live audience in the theater and for movie fans around the world.”
Added Todd Goldstein, Chief Revenue Officer at AEG: “LA LIVE was created to host the moments that define culture, and there is no bigger global stage than the Academy Awards. We are proud to partner with the Academy to reimagine what the Academy Awards can look like in the years ahead. Together, we will create an environment that celebrates creativity, honors excellence, and delivers an unforgettable experience for film fans everywhere.”
