Westfield unveils new customer journey at LAX Terminal 2

02/02/2016 15:55

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

THE NEW TERMINAL 2 HIGHLIGHTS

$78.3 million investment by Westfield to transform nearly 76,000 square feet of dining, retail and common area
34 percent projected increase in sales, with projected annual sales of $41 million
76 percent projected increase in permanent terminal jobs
A vibrant, new design and 16 new retail and dining destinations, including seven Southern California brands
Westfield's design, "L.A. in Motion," captures the energy and on-the-go attitude of Los Angeles

A key milestone in Westfield's transformation of five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport was unveiled today with the grand opening of the new Terminal 2, which joins Tom Bradley International Terminal as a world-class hub for global travelers.

Westfield – which designs, funds, builds and manages the world's best retail destinations and customer experiences in landmark cities and airports around the globe – invested $78.3 million into the terminal and transformed nearly 76,000 square feet, including more than 15,000 square feet of new dining and retail. The upgrade brings together a vibrant design, local restaurants and signature retail, creating a more holistic customer journey.

"L.A. is the center of international travel, and this spectacular new terminal will help us broaden our global reach even further," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "With the help of our partners, we have turned this terminal into a beautiful new space — and an expression of our commitment to building the world-class airport our residents and visitors expect and deserve."

Los Angeles and LAX had a record-breaking year in 2015. The city had 45.5 million visitors, and LAX – undergoing an $8.5 billion modernization program – saw 74.9 million passengers.

The new Terminal 2 projects $41 million in annual sales – a 34 percent increase. The number of permanent employees in the terminal is projected to increase by 76 percent.

"Los Angeles World Airports had a strong vision," said Keith Kaplan, Westfield's Vice President at LAX. "They wanted more than a concessions refresh – they wanted to truly transform the entire customer journey at Terminal 2 from the moment you clear security. Thanks to our long-term partnership and collaboration with all the stakeholders, everybody wins – the city of Los Angeles, the airport, the airlines and the customers."

Westfield designed and managed common area improvements, from the floor to the ceiling, and relocated and redesigned an uninspiring, inefficient staircase to become the exciting focal point of the terminal and activated new revenue-generating space.

The 20-month redevelopment at Terminal 2 was the terminal's first upgrade in nearly 30 years. Westfield's construction team managed hundreds of projects to keep the 24-hour terminal open, maintaining customer service and flight operations during the process. The terrazzo floor, for example, took 10 months and 15 phases to complete all on its own.

"Fresh facilities with more seating, new services, and expanded dining and shopping experiences for today's travelers are part of our $332 million investment in Terminal 2," said Los Angeles World Airports Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint. "We applaud Westfield's partnership with LAWA, their investment in Terminal 2 at LAX, and their commitment to developing an experience that truly caters to the modern traveler."

The terminal design was inspired by "L.A. in Motion," which captures the energy and on-the-go attitude of Los Angeles. Three distinct shopping and dining districts are highlighted by a grand staircase that offers customers a luxurious but efficient travel experience.

The new customer journey begins in the Commercial Hub, a retail and duty-free shopping district. Customers then flow into the Dining Terrace, which has been infused with local flavor and a design that offers a bright, inviting experience. From there, customers enter The Strand, a dining and shopping district that features the grand staircase and a luxurious bar with shimmering chandeliers.

"We're a local, family business and we've been serving customers at LAX for more than 20 years," said Nick Buford, COO and managing partner at Crews, which operates four dining concepts in Terminal 2. "This is an exciting time for us and for Los Angeles. The city and LAWA had the vision to transform the entire LAX experience, and we're helping to make that happen. Together we're innovating the travelers experience while creating more jobs and generating more revenue for Los Angeles."

Westfield curated a dining collection that represents Los Angeles, including a high-end bar that sells wine from countries serviced by Terminal 2.

The new dining and retail collection features 16 new concepts, seven Southern California brands, 11 brands new to LAX and six brands that have never been in an airport before.

A closer look at the full dining and retail lineup:

SeaLegs Wine Bar upholds the highest standards in its selection of great wines paired with gourmet California share plates in an environment that is infused with beauty;
Savor "boat-to-plate" American seafood at the fast-casual SLAPFISH Modern Seafood Shack;
Enjoy flavorful Chinese cuisine "wok'd to order" at Pick Up Stix;
Delight in a simple recipe of handmade dough and the finest mozzarella at Fresh Brothers Pizza;
Grab organic sandwiches, salads and more with an Italian flair at Ciabatta Bar;
Craft your own signature burger at Los Angeles-based BUILT (Custom Burgers);
Dine in L.A. history at Barney's Beanery, a classic American roadhouse modeled after Route 66;
Sip on the world's best known coffees at (2) Starbucks;
Discover a full range of body-shaping innovations at international phenomenon SPANX;
Shop travel essentials at (2) CNBC shops; or products tailored to the Hispanic traveler base at (2) Univision shops;
Find the latest in electronics and cutting-edge technology on-the-go at eSavvy and InMotion Entertainment; and
Experience the glamorous duty-free lineup from DFS, a major highlight of the new Terminal 2.

In addition to the all-new dining and retail program, Westfield built new gate hold rooms and bathrooms, installed new lighting, gate counters, gate information displays, flight information displays and digital directories and added new IT infrastructure to support all terminal flight operations.

Westfield is also transforming the passenger experience at LAX terminals 1, 3, 6 and Tom Bradley International Terminal, which opened in 2013. With a unique approach to each terminal, no two are alike. Westfield has invested more than $184 million at the airport to transform the customer experience. The overhaul projects $464.8 million in sales in the first four years, 490 construction jobs and 2,650 permanent jobs.

As part of its global portfolio, Westfield designs, develops, owns, manages and leases award-winning shopping venues in landmark cities around the world. Among the company's iconic retail destinations are Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City in the U.K., Westfield San Francisco Centre, and Westfield Century City. Upcoming world-class retail icons include Westfield World Trade Center (opening in 2016) and Westfield Milan in Italy.

Westfield is deploying its global expertise to revolutionize the customer experience and create next-generation environments in landmark airports across the U.S. Integrating the best in food, fashion, art, and entertainment, Westfield crafts a fully customizable journey which aligns with and reflects each community's unique style, spirit and culture. Learn more at www.westfieldcorp.com/airports.

Westfield Corporation (ASX Code: WFD) is an internally managed, vertically integrated, shopping center group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities and employing approximately 2,000 staff worldwide. Westfield Corporation has interests in 34 shopping centers in the United States and the United Kingdom, encompassing approximately 6,400 retail outlets and total assets under management of $28 billion.

This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future earnings and distributions. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees or predictions of future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements contained in this release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this presentation. Except as required by law or regulation (including the ASX Listing Rules) we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fifth busiest airport in the world and second in the United States, offering 692 daily nonstop flights to 85 domestic cities and 928 weekly nonstop flights to 67 cities in 34 countries on nearly 60 air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.1 million tons of air cargo valued at over $86.9 billion.

Terminal 2 is LAX's other international terminal, serving 5.2 million passengers annually. T2 carriers include: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Avianca, Hainan Airlines, Hawaiian Air, Qatar Airways, Sun Country, TACA, Virgin Atlantic, Volaris and WestJet.

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EVENT VIDEO: https://youtu.be/DjwbHvSxujc
EVENT PHOTOS: http://bit.ly/20CSAkC
PRESS KIT: www.westfieldatlax.com

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