LAX GATEWAY PYLONS TO COMMEMORATE LATE LAKERS OWNER DR. JERRY BUSS

WHAT:           The 100-foot-tall LAX Gateway pylons that illuminate the entrance to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will light the night in purple and gold in commemoration of the life and legacy of the late Dr. Jerry Buss, Los Angeles Lakers owner who passed away Monday and whose memorial service was held today.

WHEN:           From dusk tonight, Thursday, February 21, 2013, to dawn on Friday ,            February 22, 2013

WHERE:         Century Boulevard entryway to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

ABOUT LAX

PYLONS:       The LAX Gateway pylons have become a symbolic gateway to Los Angeles since they were first lit in August 2000.  In 2005, airport workers installed a new system of light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures that were unavailable in 2000.   

The 1.5-mile lineup of 11 translucent, tempered glass columns of increasing height from 25 to 60 feet along Century Boulevard, culminate with a ring of 15 100-foot-tall columns at the intersection of Century and Sepulveda boulevards.  Together, with 32-foot-high “L-A-X” letters facing eastward to welcome incoming motorists, the pylons create what is considered the world’s largest permanent public art light installation.  The pylons, oriented skyward and designed to mimic an aircraft takeoff pattern, are visible to airline passengers from 3,000 feet.

The pylons can be illuminated in a variety of colors – 16 million color possibilities --  and sequences as designed and programmed by lighting artists and airport staff.