NBC to build new L.A. newsroom at former Conan studio

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that NBC plans to make a “significant investment” into turning Stage 1 into a new home for the NBC News Los Angeles bureau and local station KNBC-TV.

The network reportedly spent $50 million to prepare the studio for Conan O’Brien, who took over on the “Tonight Show” for Jay Leno last year. When Leno’s 10 p.m. show tanked, NBC decided to bring him back to “Tonight” and fire O’Brien, that left Stage 1 available.

NBC’s West Coast operations were originally slated to move to a new facility across from Universal Studios. The network sold its historic Burbank studios in 2007 but has been allowed to occupy the space since then.

The new facility will consist of a two-story newsroom and studio complex. Plans call for a steel frame to be erected within the sound stage in order to provide the necessary support and space for the facilities. The network has not disclosed the cost of this latest round of renovations, only saying it is a significant investment in its West Coast operations.