Katie Soo

Video Game Veteran Ludon Lee Raising $250 Million to Develop Largest Indoor Theme Park in San Francisco Centre Downtown Mall Ludon Lee, a Silicon Valley veteran and Chinatown native, has recently announced his plans to revive the largest indoor video game theme park in downtown San Francisco. With the help of his privately held asset management company, Ludon Toy Company, Lee is raising $250 million to purchase the San Francisco Centre downtown mall and transform it into a state-of-the-art gaming destination. The new video game theme park will feature unlimited gaming for a single admission price, making it a dream come true for avid gamers. Visitors will also have access to a variety of shopping and dining options, making it a one-stop destination for entertainment. But what sets this theme park apart is the inclusion of real money eSports gaming, where players can compete for cash prizes in their favorite video games. Lee, a video game veteran with over 25 years of experience in the industry, is excited to bring this project to life. "I have always been passionate about video games and I believe that this theme park will be a game-changer in the industry. It will not only provide a fun and immersive experience for gamers, but also create job opportunities and boost the local economy," he stated. The San Francisco Centre downtown mall, which has been struggling in recent years, will undergo a major transformation under Lee's leadership. The video game theme park is expected to attract tourists and locals alike, and bring new life to the mall. With Lee's expertise and vision, the project is set to become a major attraction in the heart of San Francisco. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development. https://lnkd.in/gsqBFGPC

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UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report 2025, Part 2: Streaming UCLA followed up Part 1 of their streaming report and this report outlines how representation is good business, even though somehow we keep missing the mark. To put it simply, diverse content consistently drives viewer engagement, ratings, and social buzz in streaming. In 2024, streaming films with casts between 41-50% BIPOC dominated across key audiences. Black and Latinx households led the charge, showcasing the cultural resonance and business impact of authenticity on-screen. But despite clear evidence of commercial success, behind-the-scenes representation is still trailing. BIPOC creators only accounted for 41% of directors and a mere 30% of writers in top streaming films. This discrepancy highlights a glaring missed opportunity to harness the full power of inclusive storytelling. Look, audiences crave diversity, not tokenism. For content to truly resonate, creators behind the scenes must reflect the diverse perspectives of their audience. Investing in diverse creators should be looked at as a strategic advantage. The future of entertainment belongs to those who authentically represent and respect the vibrancy of our audience. Let’s elevate more diverse voices to help dollars make sense! https://lnkd.in/gh6PFDWQ #HollywoodDiversityReport #StorytellingThatMatters #EquityInEntertainment #CultureAndCommerce #RepresentationIsPower

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Summons Productions Announces Dual Bay Area Music Residencies for 2026 In a strategic expansion that reflects its rising influence in the independent music sector, Summons Productions, under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Drananda Summons, has secured two year-defining music residencies in the Bay Area—Berkeley and San Francisco—positioning the company for a landmark 2026. The Berkeley Residency, scheduled to launch January 2026, will serve as the flagship location for the Summons Productions performance series Summons Lounge. Designed as an incubator for independent musicians, vocalists, and cross-genre creators, Summons Lounge has rapidly become a proving ground for emerging artistry and an essential space for music discovery in Northern California. In May 2026, Summons Productions will extend its reach with a second Summons Lounge Residency in San Francisco, widening its platform for musicians seeking industry-level performance opportunities without the barriers often found in traditional venues. This dual-residency structure marks a significant evolution in the company’s music-driven programming, allowing Summons Productions to operate simultaneously in two of the Bay Area’s most competitive cultural markets. Both residencies are being established in partnership with North Beach Pizza Berkeley & San Francisco, whose venues have become hubs for live music, creative gatherings, and community-centered entertainment. Their collaboration with Summons Productions underscores a shared mission: to cultivate accessible performance spaces that elevate independent music while supporting the creative economy of the region. As Summons Productions enters 2026 with two anchored residencies, the company strengthens its position as a leading force in the Bay Area’s independent music landscape—bridging artists, audiences, and industry pathways through the ongoing evolution of Summons Lounge.

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Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, WB and Peacock made a combined $6.8B in Q3 streaming profits, up 42% y/y. WBD reported results today, including $0.3B in adjusted OIBDA for the Streaming segment (+24% ex-FX) on flat revenue, due primarily to the end of a distribution agreement with a former related company (AT&T?) and a one-off international legal settlement (the latter worth 2% of revenue). Advertising revenue was up 15% y/y. While all eyes are on WBD's announced process to explore strategic options, the company said they would not discuss the progress during the earnings call. CNBC reported they expect to make a decision by December. The chart below aggregates reported Operating Income for Netflix and Spotify (translated to dollars) and our modeled Operating Income for YouTube, with adjusted OIBDA for WB Streaming (no studios) and Peacock. What do you think: what option will WBD pursue?

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SXSW is a wrap. It was great. And while I’m tired, I learned a lot and connected with so many people. We had 5 Creators on panels. Alexis Ramos, our Head of Sports and Partner, spoke on two panels. I also moderated and spoke on two panels. And Lighthouse Studios launched Lyrical Lemonade TV, a media network for a new generation. A few of my observations: 1) Creators and Hollywood are merging, but also separate! Panels and activations were more creator-packed than I can remember. IP ownership. Business models. What I found most interesting is that both sides need each other - just for different reasons. Some Creators still crave the validation that Hollywood represents. Hollywood needs Creators to stay culturally relevant. But here’s my actual take: Hollywood needs to take bigger bets and move faster. And Creators need to start building real prestige IP that leads to longevity. Both sides will keep merging. But Creators are also just fine on their own. That part gets overlooked. 2) Go to the dinners and intimate gatherings. Skip the parties. People go to the parties to say they went. That’s it. No real business happens. No real relationships form. Everyone’s orbiting the same room, waiting in long lines for a drink. The dinners and curated events were different. Smaller rooms. Actual conversation. People who can finish a thought without having to yell. Food has a way of bonding people that a 200-person open bar simply cannot. I left those dinners with real relationships, which almost never happens in a free-for-all concert. And I left the smaller parties, like the Lyrical Lemonade party, having truly bonded with people. 3) AI has a new publicist or sentiment is slowly changing. Every conference runs an AI panel or 20 now. But the tone felt different this time. The “AI is taking our jobs” panic has quietly shifted to “this makes me better at my job.” For Creators, the realization is setting in that authentic voice is the differentiator. The people winning with AI aren’t replacing creators. They’re using it to lean into comedy, science, pop culture - things that still need a real human perspective to land. The doom narrative didn’t disappear. But it definitely got quieter. 4) Panel etiquette is apparently optional now. I moderated one panel, spoke on another, and went to a dozen. All were great, except for the people loudly having full conversations while speakers were presenting. Audience members. And at times, the people throwing the event and their staff. I’ve spoken at a lot of conferences and I’ve never seen this before. I’m loud. If I’m having trouble hearing myself, something has gone very wrong. These speakers are unpaid. They’re giving you their time and their thinking. The least you can do is act like you want to be there or leave. And next time I’m on a panel and the person who asked me to be there is having a full conversation in the front row, I’ll take that as my cue to wrap early and let them take it from here.

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FANS IN THE FAST LANE One BIG sign that Mainstream Media & the Creator Economy are merging: Creators are on TV everywhere! Sarah (Warner) Harms from Roku talks here about why Creators are doing SO WELL on Roku: 👨🏻‍🎨 Creator content on the Roku Channel is up 78% YoY. 👨🏻‍🎨 In 4Q, in some or large part due to a BIGLY Creator push by all of them - as a group FAST BEAT Netflix for total share of TV in the US for the first time. Netflix and YouTube may be focused on each other, but if they’re not careful, (today’s hot take) the FAST channels could overtake them both! This interview is part of a new series I co-produced with Roku Advertising - where Sarah, Alan Wolk of TVREV, and Michele Donati from Horizon Media all weigh in about the big things that will shape media in 2026. Wanna know what they said‽ Click around and find out! https://lnkd.in/g7SWWgUr

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Los Angeles is at a code red. But for the first time in a long time, it feels like things are finally starting to move quickly, and with a lot of urgency. Which I why I strongly believe LA is about to have a historic creative comeback... Today, it was announced that nearly $300 million has been awarded to television projects, with expansion into competition shows and animated series. That matters. Because as we all see and feel… Los Angeles felt like it was standing still, while the rest of the world sprinted ahead. All investing billions into studios, incentives, and infrastructure, making it easier, faster, and cheaper to produce. Meanwhile… Productions were leaving Los Angeles at a historic rate. And everyone in this industry felt it. It wasn’t just competition. It was a global entertainment race. And LA was losing ground. But now…there are real signs of change. Filming fees are coming down. Permits are finally getting streamlined. Film offices are being set up across cities throughout California to cut through red tape and make production easier to navigate. And there are conversations happening every single day, at every level, about how to fix this. There’s also real momentum building around new funding vehicles that can actually get more projects off the ground and shot here. Not just incentives… Actual capital. That’s a massive shift. For the first time in a long time… It feels like alignment. It feels like momentum. But let’s be very honest here… This needs to move faster. Much faster. Incentives need to increase. The system needs to get cheaper, simpler, and more competitive. And more importantly… We need to double down on new financing models. Dedicated production funds. Public-private capital. Vehicles that actually put money into projects early, so they get made here. Because that’s the real shift happening globally. Not just attracting productions… But financing them. Having equity in them. Owning a piece of the upside. This isn’t just about Hollywood. This is about the entire Los Angeles economy, which thrives when Hollywood is thriving… This industry is the central engine that built this city. And the ripple effects are massive. So if Los Angeles keeps pushing… Keeps removing friction… Keeps investing, not just incentivizing… I truly believe we’re at the beginning of one of the greatest creative comebacks we’ve ever seen. But it has to happen. For the storytellers. For the crews. For the dreamers. For the city that built the entertainment industry. At the same time… The reality is, this industry is expanding faster than ever. There’s going to be more opportunity than we’ve ever seen… For cities, states, and countries all over the world to build thriving entertainment ecosystems. And that’s a good thing. But when it comes to Los Angeles… This isn’t just another market. This is home. And this needs to come back. LA…this is the moment. Let’s not waste it.

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