Arcadis has locked in a hefty pair of City of Los Angeles contracts worth more than $18 million, tying the firm to two of the city’s biggest civic upgrades on the horizon. The awards cover project and construction management support for the Los Angeles Convention Center modernization and a five-year clean water program run by the Department of Public Works. The convention center work is valued at about $11 million, while the stormwater and floodplain assignment is pegged at roughly $7.5 million.
Arcadis To Manage LACC Modernization Support
On the convention center side, Arcadis will provide project and construction management support for a $2.5 billion phased modernization and expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The company says the plan will add about 190,000 square feet of exhibit space along with new meeting areas and external event spaces. Arcadis put its own task for that effort at about $11 million and said the two awards together total more than $18 million, according to Arcadis. In the announcement, Macaria Flores, Arcadis’ Los Angeles city executive, called the convention center assignment "one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects."
Clean Water Work Focuses On Stormwater Capture
The second contract puts Arcadis on a five-year Clean Water Program supporting the Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Engineering. The $7.5 million effort covers stormwater capture projects in nine San Fernando Valley parks, the countywide Safe, Clean Water portfolio that includes Hollenbeck Park Lake rehabilitation, and floodplain management work tied to FEMA standards. Those program specifics were outlined in a company release distributed via PR Newswire. Arcadis said it leaned on 15 years of experience with Proposition O to go after Measure W-funded work in the county.
City Records Show Larger Budget Authority
City records back up the award but show a higher ceiling on the convention center side. The Los Angeles Board of Public Works agenda from Feb. 23, 2026, recommends issuing Task Order Solicitation No. 102 to Arcadis with budget authority of $12,958,172 for construction management services at the convention center. That larger number appears to reflect contingency and city budget authority rather than the specific firm-level task amount, according to the Board of Public Works.
Why This Matters For Downtown
The modernization is being sold as a major economic jolt for downtown Los Angeles, promising larger conventions, more hotel room nights, and union construction jobs. It is also landing in the middle of an ongoing debate over schedule and cost risk. City leaders have already weighed whether to phase or pause parts of the expansion to juggle other priorities and keep an eye on the 2028 Olympic timeline, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Next Steps And Local Impact
Arcadis said the twin wins will let its local team pair water management expertise with construction management on projects aimed at improving resilience and boosting groundwater capture, according to PR Newswire. Before work fully ramps up, city boards and the Bureau of Engineering still need to finalize task orders and scopes. Any construction timeline for the convention center expansion will hinge on remaining approvals, budget decisions, and overall city scheduling.
