LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[BrandonJXN]

From the LA Times...

Coming in 2012 — the once and future Los Angeles Chargers?
The way the political winds are blowing, the Chargers figure to be looking to move back to L.A. in 2012, where they could play in the Coliseum (their original home in 1960) until a new downtown stadium is ready. This could happen. Really.
T.J. Simers
10:00 PM PST, December 6, 2010

If Tim Leiweke does his job over the next year in laying the groundwork for a downtown events center, expect the Chargers to announce shortly after Feb. 1, 2012, they will be here to start the 2012 season, probably playing in the Coliseum.

Talk to anyone who has spent time with Chargers owner Dean Spanos — and Spanos already has a pretty good idea of the endgame. Ordinarily, that's a loss in the playoffs, but now it's all about moving to L.A.

The Chargers probably will announce soon they will not be exercising their Feb. 1-May 1 escape clause from their stadium lease next year because they really have nowhere to go.

San Diego's last shot, and probably its only chance to keep the Chargers, rests on a November 2012 ballot measure that probably will never materialize.

City officials and the Chargers would have to agree on the language for such a ballot measure sometime during 2011 and probably no later than early 2012.

If they could find common ground, such a measure authorizing the spending of public money on a new stadium would need strong political backing. Most observers believe politicians will not show such support, instead leaving it up to voters.

If local politicians don't line up strongly behind such a ballot measure, there would be little incentive for the Chargers to spend money on campaigning for such a losing measure.

San Diego has never really embraced the Spanos family, more affectionately known in this space as the Spanos Goofs. The Chargers have failed to sell out home games, leading to local TV blackouts, and management more often than not comes across as a dictatorship exhibiting poor judgment than as a community asset.

In the meantime, Leiweke has to get beyond all the yackety-yak to date.

His interest in an events center featuring a downtown stadium suggests he already has Philip Anschutz's approval to commit $1 billion to such a project. Or Leiweke has more money than anyone might think.

Leiweke will need to start schmoozing with Sacramento to make the environmental impact process easier, while at the same time working local politicians to avoid any roadblocks.

There are some who believe Leiweke has no choice but to make this happen, calling facets of L.A Live — such as condo sales — challenging. An AEG spokesman said all area businesses showed an increase this year and hotel occupancy has exceeded expectations.

All are in agreement, though, an events center would only maximize L.A. Live's effectiveness and lead to further development.

"The Microsoft convention this July will be the largest to date — 45,000 hotel-room nights total, and that would not have happened without building this hotel in L.A. Live," said an AEG spokesman. "An event center would provide for more convention space and more hotels built downtown."

Any time anyone mentions a new stadium around here, the uneducated become alarmed, figuring public money would be spent on such a playpen.

No public money was used in the building of Staples Center. It's true more than $70 million was committed to the area surrounding the arena, where L.A. Live now sits — $58 million in bonds currently being repaid. Another $12 million in redevelopment money was committed to the project.

When the bonds are paid in full, it's expected the interest paid will match or exceed the $70-million contribution, allowing AEG to say the city essentially paid nothing for the downtown facelift.

Leiweke has told folks in public gab fests no public money will be used on the events center. He's counting on Anschutz and a contribution from the NFL.

AEG will need $300 million in city bonds to tear down the West Hall of the Convention Center and then rebuild it in another Convention Center location. Since it is not AEG-owned property, it would have to be a city-financed project.

Leiweke has said if for some reason those bonds are not repaid, AEG will do so — once again the city losing nothing in public money spent on the project.

Leiweke has only talked to date, which is why it's on him now to take advantage of the Chargers' 2012 escape clause.

If he's on his game, the Chargers will be calling the Coliseum their temporary home — a return to their roots, having spent the first season of their existence playing there as the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960.

Leiweke's attention span, or lack of it, will be his biggest hurdle. It might help if he's constantly reminded he's playing with $1 billion of his boss' money.

I don't mind reminding him on behalf of Anschutz because it would make for great sport bringing the Spanos Goofs here. We'll need someone to replace the McCourts.

IN RETROSPECT, the brawl before the USC- UCLA game the other night was probably a decent dress rehearsal for the Oakland Raiders-Los Angeles Chargers game to be played here two years from now.

THERE WAS only one good reason to attend the Clippers' game Monday night —- the chance to bump into Sacramento broadcaster Bill Walton.

IN HIS USC-UCLA postgame comments, UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel offered this telling remark: "I'm sick about Kai [Forbath] not getting a chance to kick a field goal. He came up and said, 'I need one more.' How can I kick a field goal at the end of the game when you're down 21 points? Kai understood. He's a great Bruin."

Forbath needed one field goal to tie a school record, but make that a great selfish Bruin, who required an explanation from his coach before he understood the game wasn't all about him.

UCLA passed out printed copies of Neuheisel's postgame remarks, but did not include Forbath's comment, "I need one more," as quoted by Neuheisel.

Funny that Neuheisel needs to be censored and apparently Lane Kiffin does not.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

quick question regarding the civic park under construction. anyone know why the vacant lot across from the LAPD headquarters wasnt incorporated into the park? it has been vacant and an eyesore for years. seems so obvious to include it.

[Lipani]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Coming in 2012 — the once and future Los Angeles Chargers?

Whatever the Chargers decide, it won't be after this off-season.

Chargers commit to S.D. for 2011, but not beyond
By Nick Canepa, UNION-TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 1:26 p.m.

The Chargers will not be playing football in Los Angeles — at least not next year.

In a mild effort to snuff rumors that the team is headed north and hold off lame-duck status, the NFL franchise informed the city Wednesday it is not triggering the termination clause in its Qualcomm Stadium lease for 2011. The Chargers have the option to do that every year from Feb. 1 through May 1 until their contract expires in 2020.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/08/chargers-commit-sd-2011-not-beyond/

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

quick question regarding the civic park under construction. anyone know why the vacant lot across from the LAPD headquarters wasnt incorporated into the park? it has been vacant and an eyesore for years. seems so obvious to include it.

That 'eyesore' you have been talking about is one of two things. The first being the home of the planned and maligned Court House, the second being a plot of land that has been empty since the 40s, because no one knows who owns it.

[JDRCRASH]

The Nikkei Center development is now pretty much officially D-E-A-D :

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/12/little_tokyo_project_iced.php#reader_comments

Originally Posted by Lipani

Whatever the Chargers decide, it won't be after this off-season.

At this point, I think it's more likely that CofI will get the Chargers, because it's MUCH further along than the Downtown plan. That said, I hope Leiweke can land the Raiders or Rams.

[Lipani]

I think it's too early to tell right now. Sanders has been generally supportive of a new stadium here, although nowhere near as Villaraigosa was of Measure R. A lot can happen in the next year: the players union and the owners need to figure out a new agreement, other teams (Bills, Jaguars, Rams, Raiders, Vikings, etc.) could leap for an opportunity to play in the L.A., and let's not forget the always unpredictable Al Davis. I'm not sure how it is now, but when I lived in Glendale 10 years ago there was still a fairly sizeable Raiders fanbase.

Regardless of the team I like the idea of a downtown stadium in L.A. It'd also be fun to have a football rivalry. San Diego has no NBA team and Padres fans really only exist for a season or two every decade.

[colemonkee]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

quick question regarding the civic park under construction. anyone know why the vacant lot across from the LAPD headquarters wasnt incorporated into the park? it has been vacant and an eyesore for years. seems so obvious to include it.

I'm not sure what lot you're talking about. The LAPD HQ is surrounded by City Hall to the North, Caltrans to the East, The Higgins Building to the South and the LA Times bldg to the West.

[RuFFy]

I'm pretty sure he's referring to the foundation of the old state building directly across 1st street from the Times Building.

[BrandonJXN]

^ Don't you mean Lake Los Angeles?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

That 'eyesore' you have been talking about is one of two things. The first being the home of the planned and maligned Court House, the second being a plot of land that has been empty since the 40s, because no one knows who owns it.

no its the second. thats why i was angry cause this was a good reason to find out who owns it and it could be added to the park. its just sitting there, full of tagging and homeless. can you imagine that across from city hall in any other city? really?

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

The Nikkei Center development is now pretty much officially D-E-A-D :

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/12/little_tokyo_project_iced.php#reader_comments



At this point, I think it's more likely that CofI will get the Chargers, because it's MUCH further along than the Downtown plan. That said, I hope Leiweke can land the Raiders or Rams.

city of industry is not much further than downtown because nothing will happen until the labor dispute is settled, which will allow aeg to be on equal footing by that time. i would say its AEG's to lose and its not even close.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

no its the second. thats why i was angry cause this was a good reason to find out who owns it and it could be added to the park. its just sitting there, full of tagging and homeless. can you imagine that across from city hall in any other city? really?

Of course not, L.A. is totally backwards in that regard, which is what makes it so exciting. Also, the city totally over-uses stucco. In Chicago, I did not see one use of stucco, but here, it is everywhere.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

its just sitting there, full of tagging and homeless. can you imagine that across from city hall in any other city? really?

You might be surprised. There's a giant vacant lot in Philly at 9th and Market, just a few blocks from City Hall. Its been that way since 1997...13 years. Locals have dubbed it the Disney Hole, as Disney was going to build a project there at some point.

[BrandonJXN]

I remember up until fairly recently, there was a lot right across the street from the 777 Tower that looked like Bosnia circa 1992. It's now a nice clean parking lot. I don't like parking lots but if nothing is slated to develop on one for a while, at least keep them clean.

[pesto]

I see that SC is proposing taking control of the Coliseum, Sports Arena and some parking lots. I am not sure what their master plan would be, but they do have a track record for getting things done in that area (arenas, housing, campus buildings, shopping).

Unfortunately, the discussion on curbed quickly degenerated into UCLA-USC and rich vs. poor crankiness without much light being shed.

[JDRCRASH]

^ Speaking of curbed, Dakota appears to have finally listened to so many commenters concerns about a certain blogger.

westwoodnc, one of the biggest trolls on that website appears to have finally been banned, which means no more of his relentless personal attacks.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

^ Speaking of curbed, Dakota appears to have finally listened to so many commenters concerns about a certain blogger.

westwoodnc, one of the biggest trolls on that website appears to have finally been banned, which means no more of his relentless personal attacks.

Its about time. That guy was singlehandedly detering me from visiting one of my favorite sites.

How did you find out he was banned? Did Dakota say something or is he just not posting anymore?

[BrandonJXN]

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2010/12/aegs_stadium_has_three_de.php

The downtown stadium project has gone on the fast track. Sports architects HKS and HNTB and L.A. Live designer Gensler are the three finalists to plan the stadium, says SportsBusiness Journal. Interviews are scheduled for Dec. 15, the publication adds.

Also: AEG's Tim Leiweke says he wants the "framework" of an NFL team for Los Angeles in place by March or else the stadium plan may be dropped. He spoke at the Central City Association yesterday. Downtown News:

Leiweke laid out a scenario to bring football to South Park, though he said three things must happen by next February. First, he said, negotiations already under way with the city have to be finalized. L.A. officials, he said, are in talks regarding the plan to tear down the West Hall of the Convention Center. He said he expects to reach an agreement on those issues early next year, and to begin the entitlement process for the stadium in January.

The other things he said must happen involve the NFL. He said AEG is in frequent conversation with numerous NFL owners, who would ultimately have to approve a deal to return football to L.A.

He also said AEG wants to identify a team that would move to Los Angeles. He said the goal is not to “steal” a team from another city, but to target franchises whose financial situation will require a move. He added that AEG, which owns the Los Angeles Kings and has a one-third stake in the Lakers, is prepared to “invest” in a football team.

[RuFFy]

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

the city totally over-uses stucco. In Chicago, I did not see one use of stucco, but here, it is everywhere.

There's actually a reason for this. In Chicago you see a lot of brick buildings similar to New York City and many Eastern Seaboard Cities where it's cold. Using brick increases thermal mass making summers cooler and winters warmer indoors. Aside from this, the natural disasters threatening the east coast are hurricanes, and brick/block buildings increase the likely-hood of the structure surviving a catastrophic event. The need in Los Angeles, however, isn't so much to survive drastic weather changes. What the West Coast builds in advance of are earthquakes. Building brick/block buildings on the West Coast in general can prove catastrophic in an even moderate seismic event, as brick and block are likely to shatter and collapse. While stucco itself isn't flexible, the wood stucco is usually over is. Stucco also helps to protect wood from the elements.

[Illithid Dude]

Originally Posted by RuFFy

There's actually a reason for this. In Chicago you see a lot of brick buildings similar to New York City and many Eastern Seaboard Cities where it's cold. Using brick increases thermal mass making summers cooler and winters warmer indoors. Aside from this, the natural disasters threatening the east coast are hurricanes, and brick/block buildings increase the likely-hood of the structure surviving a catastrophic event. The need in Los Angeles, however, isn't so much to survive drastic weather changes. What the West Coast builds in advance of are earthquakes. Building brick/block buildings on the West Coast in general can prove catastrophic in an even moderate seismic event, as brick and block are likely to shatter and collapse. While stucco itself isn't flexible, the wood stucco is usually over is. Stucco also helps to protect wood from the elements.

Yeah, I figured it was something like this, though I don't think Chicago has to worry about Hurricanes. However, stucco just ages sooo poorly, and looks cheap. That's why facades exist, and a brick/marble/stone/steel facade on many of the buildings I see when I walk around L.A. would be very nice.