With the fall semester in full gear and daunting midterms just around the corner, it is times like these when students wish they could find a cool place and unwind without spending a lot of money. With that in mind, L.A. LIVE has decided to launch its student discount program throughout the L.A. LIVE campus for anyone with student identification.

L.A. LIVE is a sports and entertainment district located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. The campus surrounds STAPLES Center and Nokia Theatre, providing an entertaining dining and retail experience. The complex has a price tag of $2.5 billion and is paid for by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Wachovia Corp (WMA) and the investment firm McFarlane Partners, with a little help from the Los Angeles taxpayers.

The downtown rejuvenation project was broken down into three phases, with completion of the first two phases. The final phase is the opening of a 54-story Ritz-Carlton/JW Marriott hotel scheduled for spring 2010.
Among the participating locations on the attractive campus is The Farm of Beverly Hills. An American cuisine restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This elegant location is definitely not cheap but does the trick when it comes to charming ambiance.

The patio is decked out with comfortable seating, and there is a fireplace at the bar to cozy up and gaze at the stars above. The patio area also allows smokers to have a cigarette while enjoying the luxurious atmosphere, all while saving 10 percent on all food and non-alcoholic beverages under the student discount program. Again, prices run a little steep but if you’re looking for a hardy meal and don’t mind paying up to $25.50 for Blackened Ahi Tuna, then this is definitely worth a stop.

Katsuya is an elegant Asian fusion-style restaurant with a contemporary look. Decked with its fashionable furniture and artsy canvases, Katsuya is perfect for a date or a bite to eat before or after a show.
Under the L.A. LIVE Student Program, Katsuya also offers 10 percent off food and non-alcoholic drinks on their menu with multicourse dinners and fixed prices of $25, which includes a starter, entrée, and dessert.

Lawry’s Carvery is well known for its original location on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills and has now expanded its franchise to the downtown multimillion-dollar complex. The restaurant may not be known for its physical appeal like Katsuya but does make up for its looks with their popular hand carved sandwiches and fresh salads.
Trader Vic’s a Chinese/Cantonese dinner spot which is also on the expensive side with entrees starting at $19 running up to $49 a plate. Trader Vic’s provides a generous 15 percent off on all food and non alcoholic beverages on their pricey menu.
The famous Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill offers a whopping 20 percent off all food and non -alcoholic beverages between the hours of 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill menu is fairly priced as well, with pizzas ranging from $13 to $17 to main courses running from $18 up to $28 and entrees grilled on hardwood that cost $18 to $38 a plate.

Tired of all the food? Make a stop at the stylish Congo Room where cover charge is waived for students on club nights that attend prior to 10 p.m. and a 10 percent discount on concert tickets. They also offer a 50 percent discount in the bar/club from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 10 percent at their Boca restaurant from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Music lovers can take a tour of the GRAMMY Museum, where they can see legendary musician memorabilia from iconic moments in past Grammy shows.

Items like Michael Jackson’s glittering glove and hand prints can be viewed at the museum. Admission is only $8 with the student program. Afterwards, grab healthy ice cream at New Zealand Natural Ice Cream, where they offer a 15 percent discount of their food or drinks as well.

ESPN built a sports heaven for any sports type known as the ESPN Zone. Blitz down to the ESPN Zone for an affordable meal while enjoying a personal LCD screen on every table along with the big screens scattered all across the walls, surely guaranteeing a smile for any sports fan from ear to ear.
Afterwards, zip down over to STAPLES Center and catch an L.A. Kings game for $12 under the student program for selected games. ESPN Zone also offers unlimited Wi-Fi access and 10 percent off their food and non alcoholic drinks.

Need a java break? Chill out with a cup of coffee and take your laptop over to the Starbucks and surf the Internet with their free Wi-Fi with a Starbucks card or Gold card. Catching a movie is just a few footsteps away at the brand new Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, where tickets through the student program are only $10.

These discounts apply daily, regardless of events occurring within the L.A. LIVE campus or its associated venues, such as STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, Club Nokia or the GRAMMY Museum. To receive the student discount, a valid, current school year’s student ID card must be presented.

For more information on the student discount program, visit www.lalive.com/studentdiscount
To get more information on the student discount for selected L.A. Kings games visit www.lakings.com/student.

For directions, access www.lalive.com and click on the direction/parking tab located on the top right corner of the site. Parking structures are located on the east and west sides of the complex and cost $5 for the first 120 minutes, an additional $5 per half-hour, or the max price of $25. Valet parking is available at the same rate or the max price of $30. Event Parking is the flat rate of $25, no valet option available.

Additional student discounts will be updated frequently and posted on www.lalive.com.