County officials want to give Los Angeles something it hasn’t had in a long time: a central gathering place for New Year's Eve. And they think Grand Park is just the place for it.

"Angelenos want to be together," said Lucas Rivera, who directs operations at the Music Center, which oversees Grand Park. "And I think people just get tired of watching these amazing things at home. They want to come out and celebrate."

More than 30,000 people are expected to gather at the park to celebrate New Year's Eve - but officials say they can squeeze in up to 50,000.

The event will cost $600,000 - most of it paid for by the county.

Last year — the first time a New Year's Eve celebration was offered at Grand Park — organizers expected about 8,000 people to attend. They were blown away when 25,000 people showed up.

County officials say the stars have aligned to make Grand Park a central gathering place akin to Times Square in New York. Downtown Los Angeles has been through a decade of revitalization and an expanded Metrorail system can bring more people downtown from more corners of the city.

The celebration will include local bands and DJs entertain crowds from three stages and a 10-minute animated film to be projected on City Hall during the final countdown.

The Music Center commissioned the film from Hollywood animation and design agency yU+co. It was designed to capture and reflect common L.A. moments, like fighting freeways and marveling at the rain.

"What is an Angeleno’s day-to-day like? This is a great opportunity to talk about that," said Julia Diamond, the programming director for Grand Park. "What matters to people? And what are they thinking about, and what are they loving, and what frustrates them?

"Those are the small connective tissues that unite us all and we can all find common ground in, and that’s also what big gatherings are about. It’s about coming together," she added.

Admission is free to Grand Park. The MTA will run expanded, free service on New Year's Eve.