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Previewing Thursday's State Of The City At Santa Monica's World Culture Center

Posted Jan. 22, 2013, 9:00 am

Parimal M. Rohit / Staff Writer

A new trend appears to be occurring in Santa Monica each January: a hip new phrase or concept is coined at the annual State of the City event, which returns Jan. 24 to the World Culture Center.

In 2011, City Manager Rod Gould popularized the phrase “Flat is the new up.” Last year, Mayor Richard Bloom introduced a new nickname for Santa Monica: Silicon Beach.

This year’s event will carry the theme “Santa Monica on the Move,” and will again feature Gould as a keynote speaker.

Also delivering a keynote address will be Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor and Exposition Construction Authority CEO Richard Thorpe.

Thorpe is expected to discuss the arrival of the Expo Light Rail into Santa Monica and how it will “change the makeup of the city” by altering traffic patterns, enhancing businesses, and mitigating congestion.

Based on previous State of the City events, Gould and O’Connor may likely discuss Santa Monica’s overall growth and potential progress, as well as the City’s place in the global economy.

SGI-USA is hosting the State of the City event, which kicks off at 7 a.m. with a “zero waste” breakfast reception hosted by The City’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment. The official program begins at 8 a.m. and is expected to continue through 9:30 a.m.

“2013 State of the City ‘Santa Monica on the Move’ will not only focus on the issues of mobility and finding new solutions such as the Expo to mitigate congestion and traffic, but we’ll also hear from business leaders discussing how they must keep moving forward – to remain agile and fluid to compete in this very fast-paced business world,” Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce CEO Laurel Rosen said.

The American Film Market, which holds one of the world’s largest independent film bazaars at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, will be honored with the Economic Excellence Award. Just the same, O’Connor will be given a special recognition for her efforts in “moving Santa Monica forward.”

In 2011, Santa Monica Place, which had just re-opened prior to the State of the City event that year, earned the Economic Excellence Award. The event two years ago focused on maintaining a positive outlook despite trying economic times. Last year, which focused on trends in technology, Santa Monica College was honored with the Economic Excellence Award for the institution’s contributions to work training and its maintenance of a large workforce.

Each year, the State of the City event attracts key business, civic, and community leaders. An estimated 400 people attended each of the previous two State of the City events.

Contact Magdalena Davis at events@smchamber.com or visit www.smchamber.com/SOTC for more information, including how to purchase tickets.

The event will be held at SGI-USA’s World Culture Center at 525 Wilshire Boulevard.