There are nearly as many DMCs serving the Los Angeles area as there are stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Following are four that cater to the region.
Extraordinary Events
(www.extraordinaryevents.com) President Andrea Michaels says Extraordinary Events, based in Sherman Oaks, Calif., is a full-service DMC executing creative events and meetings, including product launches, award shows and incentive programs, and specializing in custom shows and headline entertainment.
“We have an exceptional staff that can create a revue from scratch or [utilize their] buying power to get talent at incredibly reduced prices,” she says. “We don’t provide ‘off-the-shelf’ activities for tours or events.”
An example of a unique experience brought to groups by Extraordinary Events is the re-creation of the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard in an historic and exclusive estate.
Bob Gail Special Events
(www.bobgail.com) Culver City, Calif.-based Bob Gail Special Events is a different kind of DMC, according to Bob Levine, the company’s CEO and president, because with a 30,000-square-foot warehouse and production studio, it acts as a one-stop shop, while many DMCs outsource—for linens, lighting, props, audiovisual, etc.—to a dozen or more suppliers.
One recent event Bob Gail produced was a pre-sporting event rooftop function at the Staples Center followed by a high-end hospitality suite for an L.A. Lakers game.
The Meeting Manager
(www.themeetingmanager.com) With the ever-changing landscape of must-dos and -sees in L.A., planners rely on DMCs, according to Trevor Hanks, CMP, DMCP, director of sales at The Meeting Manager, which has offices in Santa Monica, Irvine, San Diego, and Palm Desert, Calif.
“We are ‘in the know’ at all times as to what is going to be the best fit for the prospective program,” Hanks says, citing unique options such as a police-escorted motorcade down Sunset Boulevard, a private party at a $40 million estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean and recreating the glamour of walking the red carpet at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre.
Bixel & Company
(www.bixelco.com) Bixel & Company, a full-service DMC based in Los Angeles, specializes in unique event production, creative excursions and transportation for the most distinguished corporate guests, according to Dabney Bixel, president of the firm.
“Upon arrival in Los Angeles, guests are provided with celebrity treatment,” she says. “The aura of the rich and famous comes to life, including dining, clubbing and partying where the stars do.”
