Overflow crowd for downtown L.A. NFL stadium debate
First time citizens would hear details of the plan
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Hundreds of people, including members of three high school football teams, dozens of construction workers and former Lakers star Earvin “Magic” Johnson, packed City Hall today for the first full council discussion of a proposed downtown NFL stadium.
The City Council chamber was standing room only by mid-morning, and about 200 people were forced to stand in the City Hall Rotunda and outside in a forecourt along Spring Street.
Anschutz Entertainment Group wants to build a $1.2 billion football stadium, convention hall and two parking structures on city-owned land downtown. City officials recently released a draft agreement between the city and AEG that details how the plan would be financed, including $275 million of city-issued bonds.
A committee of five members has been holding public hearings on the plan this week.
Council President Eric Garcetti said the hearing would be the first time many citizens would hear the details of the plan.
“We’re here to ask ... today if they build it what will come,” Garcetti said. “How many jobs will be created? How will the city’s budget be protected?”
Venice High School football coach Derek Fulwilder brought about 30 of his players along to show support for bringing an National Football League team to Los Angeles.
“The age of most of these kids is 15 or 16, about the time since we last had a football team in this city,” Fulwilder said.
“This is the second biggest media market in the country, and we don’t have a professional football team. How un-American is that?” he said. “Some people say baseball is America’s pastime. I beg to differ.”
Members of the Dorsey and Roosevelt high school football teams were also at City Hall.
The city’s chief legislative analyst, city consultants and AEG President Tim Leiweke planned to give presentations on the plan and answer questions from the council.
The potential Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) football stadium for downtown Los Angeles would spur major economic development and finance for the local economy, and in particular, for minority and small businesses. I strongly applaud the efforts of AEG, as well as Farmers Insurance Exchange, in their commitment to this historical project. The proposed football stadium will be dubbed Farmers Field under a naming-rights agreement announced by AEG.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The planned sale of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns Staples Center, L.A. Live and the Los Angeles Kings and is the driving force behind plans to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles, was halted today.
AEG Chairman Philip Anschutz, said he plans to take a more active role in the company, while Tim Leiweke, AEG’s president/CEO who has often been the local face of the company, will be leaving “by mutual agreement.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The company that owns Staples Center and is the driving force behind an effort to build a professional football stadium in downtown Los Angeles announced today it is being put up for sale.
Anschutz Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Co. owned by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz, also owns the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy and has a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. It also owns the L.A. Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles and the O2 arena in London.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today credited his efforts to streamline the city’s development permitting process with Farmers Insurance deciding to move one of its offices and 1,200 jobs to Los Angeles from Simi Valley.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Angelenos will get their first chance Wednesday to weigh-in on the $1 billion football stadium a developer is willing to build in exchange for the city making about $350 million in changes to the Convention Center.
An informal Planning Department hearing, open to the public, is set from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 501 in the Convention Center's West Hall, which would be torn down to accommodate construction.
