Agents Move, Restaurants Follow

Earlier this year, International Creative Management (ICM) and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) moved their offices from Beverly HIlls to within the city limits of Los Angeles in Century City. Score one for LA where expensive high power lunches turn in to tax revenue for city coffers (we're talking "a side of assorted mushrooms sells for $21 and a Wagyu rib-eye costs $98"). One problem though, Century City choices were slim for Hollywood agents:

The story some tell around the agency goes that longtime I.C.M. superagent Ed Limato (who represents Mel Gibson and Denzel Washington) ventured over to the nearby Westfield shopping center, which includes a Fuddruckers, a Panda Express and other offerings that require a diner to carry a tray. Mr. Limato returned to say, “Never again.” (I.C.M. declined to comment for this article, and a spokesman said that Mr. Limato, who was demoted from his position as co-president last week, was unavailable.)

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Before their arrival, Century City was best known for being an office park, though it is now also experiencing a residential boom, with luxury condominiums being developed. The promise of agents dining with their famous clients made some mouths water, and six new restaurants quickly committed to be the culinary anchor tenants of the four-acre courtyard in front of the Creative Artists headquarters.

[snip]

“Their presence clearly added an additional complexion to Century City,” Brad Cox, managing director for Trammell Crow Company, the real estate development outfit that lured Creative Artists and the new restaurants, said of the talent agencies. “For them, lunch is a marketing function and it helped to attract the restaurants.”

And so new food choices such as the new upscale hot dog eatery, The Stand (related to the one in Encino), Craft Los Angeles, X Bar and Century City veterans like Breeze are put to work. Part of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Breeze even offers office delivery complete with hotel china and utensils via an underground tunnel from the hotel to the CAA.

Unfortunately, LAist favorites and places for the people like Clementine and the Bread Bar are not included as places important enough to sign a contract.

Read more at the New York Times.

Photo by rappensuncle via Flickr