Oscars Set To Move From Hollywood To Downtown L.a.?

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, the organisation behind the annual Oscars, is considering moving the home of the awards ceremony, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The ceremonies are currently held in the Kodak Theatre but organisers are looking at the possibility of moving it to the Nokia theatre instead.

The Kodak Theatre was built purposefully for the awards, ahead of the broadcast in 2002, so a move would be a big blow to the theatre's owners. Asides from the Oscars, this year to be hosted by Billy Crystal, the Kodak Theatre also hosts other shows, such as the Cirque Du Soleil, who are currently performing their show Iris: A Journey Through the History of Cinema. The Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles hosts a number of high profile shows and is currently advertising concerts by Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes as well as Martina McBride. This year's televised Oscars will be the 10th year that the event has been held at the Kodak Theatre. One of the main advantages of the move would be that the capacity for the audience would double to 7,100.

The CEO/President of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is quoted in the article as saying that such a move would be a blow to Hollywood, which has for so long been associated with the Oscars: "This, on top of the academy's decision to move their museum out of Hollywood an onto Wilshire Boulevard would send a very negative message to the community"