SACRAMENTO (CelebrityAccess) As a dispute between Azoff MSG Entertainment / The Forum and the City of Inglewood continues, a state assemblywoman has introduced a bill to help bring basketball to the city (read: legislation that would help pave the way for a rival arena for the Clippers).
The Los Angeles Clippers are planning to build an arena that would hold concerts a mere 1.5 miles from the re-imagined Forum, owned by MSG, which has led to a lawsuit. Azoff MSG Entertainment claims that it was duped into giving up some of the Forum’s parking lot, which would now be used for the new Clippers’ arena, and filed suit against the city and mayor James Butts. Butts claims that MSG gave up the parking to settle a dispute with Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is building a $2.6 billion stadium near the Forum.
The new legislation, introduced by Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, would assist the City of Inglewood in bringing NBA to the city by providing CEQA streamlining relief for the new arena project. The bill, AB 987, “will ensure the new Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center Project meets strict environmental standards and enhances local services while still protecting vital community interests.”
“This is an exciting opportunity to build a world-class environmentally friendly facility in the heart of Inglewood, helping to create thousands of good jobs and improve local services while respecting community interests across the region,” said Kamlager-Dove, (D-Los Angeles). “AB 987 will help achieve that goal by striking a critical balance, prioritizing the needs of local residents, businesses and the environment. I am encouraged by the overwhelming support for this new Clippers Arena and look forward to working with a team owner who is committed to investing in our community as we work to return an NBA franchise to Inglewood.”
The project would be built entirely with private funds. A statement from Kamlager-Dove said it would convert an empty space under a flight-path for LAX into a “thriving, productive community” that would create thousands of jobs and generate tax revenue for schools, parks, libraries, police and fire services.
The press release includes glowing endorsements for the new arena from Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer, head coach Doc Rivers, LAX Tacos’ Cecilia Mirando, Homelight Family Living Program’s Ricardo Rosales, and R. Hicks Realty’s Michelle Hicks.
