LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa yesterday announced that the City of Los Angeles will host the Microsoft 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) July 10-14, 2011. Mayor Villaraigosa and First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner worked closely with senior Microsoft officials to bring the global conference to the City based on the area’s world-class conference facilities, hotels, restaurants and entertainment.

“Hosting this banner event for the global technology community is a major win for Los Angeles and an important boost for our local economy,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “We look forward to welcoming Microsoft and its partners to LA next summer, and showing them the best of what this world-class city has to offer.”

WPC is Microsoft’s premier event bringing together more than 640,000 worldwide business partners who sell, customize, build upon, implement and support Microsoft solutions.

The City of Angels is expected to host between 12,000 and 15,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 120 countries, generating just over 50,000 hotel room nights and $45 million in attendee spending alone.

“LA is a dynamic, exciting city that inspires creativity and innovation,” said Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer. “It’s an ideal setting for our global community of 15,000 partners from 120 countries to share their ideas and energy for technology and business opportunities in the years ahead. We look forward to furthering our long, rewarding relationship with the city and community and are sure our partners and employees will make the most of their time in LA.”

Nearly 95 percent of Microsoft’s $60 billion in total annual revenue is generated by its worldwide partner network. WPC is an annual gathering for these partners to network and build connections, share best practices, and learn new skills and techniques. At WPC10 – July 12 -15 in Washington DC – Steve Ballmer, Stephen Elop, Kevin Turner, Allison Watson and many other executives will share their vision and strategies for the company. For more information about WPC, visit www.digitalwpc.com.

“It’s very exciting that Los Angeles will have the opportunity to host the next Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in 2011,” said Justin Slagle, President of the International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners Southern California Chapter. “We have found that WPC is one of the best places to connect with Microsoft and the partner community, and the Southern California IAMCP is looking forward to helping host partners from all over the world.”

The hosting of WPC is another example of the close relationship between the City of Los Angeles and Microsoft. Microsoft has donated $19 million in cash, software, curriculum and volunteer time to organizations such as Goodwill Southern California, Los Angeles Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Los Angeles Urban League, Puente Learning Center and Magic Johnson Foundation. The Microsoft Windows 7 partner ecosystem adds billions of dollars to the local economy and supports tens of thousands of jobs. International Data Corporation estimates that in 2010 alone, Windows 7 will bring over $5.5 billion dollars in revenue to the local IT ecosystem, adding over $19 to partners for every $1 of revenue generated for Microsoft. In addition, Microsoft maintains strategic, long range research partnerships with many local universities.

Microsoft 2011 WPC will be the largest citywide convention in the history of Los Angeles, according to Mark Liberman, president of LA INC., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This meeting underscores LA’s new reputation as a vibrant destination by the meetings industry, sparked by the addition of the L.A. LIVE campus,’’ said Liberman.

The impact of this convention will be felt across Los Angeles involving nearly 40 hotels across the city including properties in Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, West Los Angeles and the Los Angeles International Airport area.

With a growing population of 4 million people, Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. The internationally renowned Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is among the most technologically advanced convention and exhibition centers in the world and attracts over 2.5 million annual visitors. The LACC was the first building in LA to be certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB), as awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).