Toluca Residents Hear Plans for L.A. Stadium

Toluca Lake residents heard details of a plan to build a professional football stadium in downtown Los Angeles at a Neighborhood Council meeting Tuesday night.

Representatives from Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company that seeks to build the stadium and a new wing of the L.A. Convention Center, gave a presentation on the proposed Farmers Field at the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council meeting. 

Sean P. Dee, a chief marketing officer for AEG and a resident of Toluca Lake, spoke of how the $1-billion project would bring in revenue for the city and make it an attractive space for conventions.

“We’ve identified 600 conventions that would have the potential to consider Los Angeles,” he said.

Dee also said that the stadium's proposed seating capacity—72,000 to 75,000—would make the venue eligible to host the Super Bowl. 

The project includes 10,000 on-site parking spots, with thousands more located within a short walking distance, he said. But the company would like to see half of the stadium-goers use public transportation.

AEG wants to demolish the West Hall of the convention center to create Pico Hall, which would “float across Pico Boulevard.” The city is expected to use approximately $300 million in bonds for the renovation. 

The Farmers Field stadium, named for sponsor Farmers Insurance, would sit adjacent to Staples Center. The project, which includes the stadium and the convention hall, is expected to take four years to build.

The Los Angeles City Council will hold two committee meetings on the proposed stadium before the end of the month; on July 27 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall and on July 28 at 5:30 p.m. at Van Nuys Civic Center. Council President Eric Garcetti has also reserved July 29’s council meeting to discuss details of the project. All the meetings are open to the public.

Originally, AEG was reported to want the City Council to sign off on a deal by the end of the month, according to the Los Angeles Times. But when the July 29 council meeting to focus solely on Farmers Field was set, City Council members said that the reported timeline was an ideal goal and not a mandatory deadline.

AEG does not have an NFL team attached to the project yet. Potential ticket prices also remain unknown. The company has said that the project will not require the use of city funds.

DWP Ratepayer Advocate 

The Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council passed a motion to approve the adoption of a community impact statement regarding the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Office of Public Accountability. The department announced proposed rate increases in June, but the public accountability office, which was approved by voters in March, has not been established yet. The office will elect a ratepayer advocate to analyze the DWP’s proposed rate increases and submit an individual report to the city.

The City Council has an Aug. 15 deadline to nominate the members of the committee that will select the advocate. Two will be nominated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; the remaining members will be picked by Garcetti and Councilwoman Jan Perry, who chairs the Energy and Environment Committee. 

The community impact statement would express the concern of raising water and power rates before the OPA is established. 

Blue Moon Nights

The deadline for submitting public comment to the zoning administrator handling the is Friday (July 22). The nightclub in North Hollywood has been a source of contention with residents who have criticized the owner’s hours of operation, which they say can go until the early morning. The zoning administrator is expected to make a verbal decision as early as a week after the deadline.

Residents who live in the vicinity of the club were sent invitations to the July 8 public hearing. The club also placed fliers in nearby homes inviting residents in for free drinks. 

National Night Out 

National Night Out, an event to promote community and police department partnerships, will hold events in Los Angeles on Aug. 2. Food, live music and other entertainment will be provided.

In the North Hollywood area, festivities are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. in the park on the southwest corner of Magnolia Boulevard and Tujunga Avenue.

In Hollywood, the event is to be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the police station on 6501 Fountain Ave.