Newport Center was created as the unofficial "downtown" of the Irvine Ranch, which at the time extended all the way down to Pacific Coast Highway.

During excavation of the site for the first buildings, a considerable amount of petrified wood was discovered, indicating that a small forest once existed in the area.

The strip of land between Avocado and MacArthur roads was originally slated to be an exit spur of the Pacific Coast Freeway, which was never built.

The center occupies a large city block between Jamboree, MacArthur and San Joaquin Hills roads, and Pacific Coast Highway.

Numerous businesses are located along Newport Center Drive, including insurer Pacific Life, PIMCO, Janus Capital Group, Acacia Research Corporation, Irvine Company, Blackwood, and law firm Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth.