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250,000 Square Foot Campus Accommodates Expansion and New Hires
LOS ANGELES--Aug. 6, 2003--Electronic Arts, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, will soon begin significant modifications to turn the Water's Edge/Playa Vista complex in Los Angeles into a state-of-the-art studio for creating games. EA will begin moving staff from the current studio in Bel Air into the new 250,000 square foot Playa Vista campus by the end of this year. The move will be completed in 2004.
In Los Angeles, EA currently employs 300 artists, engineers, testers and support staff and is recruiting from the entertainment, games and other industries to double its workforce by 2005. The new facility will accommodate up to 1,000 employees.
"The Water's Edge campus fulfills our strategy of creating an environment that fosters innovation and great game development," said John Batter, vice president and general manager of EALA. "EA's business is growing quickly and Los Angeles is a rich environment for talented people in the visual effects, animation, sound design and engineering fields. Our goal is to make this new studio the best place to work in the entertainment industry."
"EA's decision to locate its studio in Los Angeles reflects our place on the cutting edge of technology and entertainment," said Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. "The hundreds of high quality jobs that will come to our city as a result of this will continue to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit that is driving our local economy."
"EA's decision to bring its creative campus to Playa Vista is a milestone in our development's history," said Playa Vista President Steve Soboroff. "With EA building the first new studio in Los Angeles since the 1930s, and locating it within Playa Vista, the vision of creating a dynamic place where people can live, work and play is quickly becoming a reality."
"I am so excited by this announcement from Electronic Arts," said Los Angeles City Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski. "This deal will bring a new studio to the region with clean, creative, hi-tech and well-paying jobs. Additionally, EA and its employees will help bring to fruition the original vision of Playa Vista -- which was to create an environment where people could live near their workplace and avoid spending unnecessary hours on our streets and freeways. This is a great win for Los Angeles, for Playa Vista and those who support the principles of smart growth."
Playa Vista Water's Edge, LLC, is a joint venture development partnership between two firms: Equity Office and what was Maguire Partners, a commercial real estate development company that recently became a REIT. In 2000, Equity Office and Maguire Partners purchased and began developing the 6.5-acre parcel that became Water's Edge. Equity Office, which provided investment capital, financial solidarity, and management services, has an 87.5 percent ownership in the joint venture and a 97 percent ownership interest in the Water's Edge project. Robert Maguire, who provided development expertise, has a 12.5 percent ownership in the overall joint venture. Other contributors included Matthew Miller of CRESA Partners who represented EA in the transaction and listing brokers Brad Feld and Eric Olofson at Cushman & Wakefield who represented the landlord, Playa Vista Water's Edge, LLC.
Award-winning architect HLW has orchestrated a stylish design for the new EALA campus. Features include a palm tree-lined entrance with Hollywood-style gates that open into a creative world, complete with beach volleyball court, athletic fields, fitness center, game room, large cafeteria, company store and valet parking. The campus also has access to the ocean, and is surrounded by bike and running trails through wildlife preserve. One of the most advanced studios in the entertainment industry, EALA will include state-of-the-art special effects equipment, sound studios, advanced production capabilities, game-testing facilities, as well as conference centers and screening rooms.
EALA develops products worldwide under the EA GAMES™ brand, including the best-selling franchises Command & Conquer™, which has sold more than 21 million copies; and Medal of Honor™, which has sold more than 12 million copies. EALA's current expansion is due in large part to the staffing needs required for the development of new games.
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Battlefield Vietnam Update
The 1.01 patch is coming soon. Get a list of what will be fixed and added.
read the update >> |
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