Fire Tears Through Iconic Sportsmen's Lodge In Studio City

STUDIO CITY, CA — A stubborn fire badly damaged the iconic Sportsmen's Lodge in studio City early Tuesday morning. It took Los Angeles firefighters more than two hours to battle the blaze at the old lodge. No one was injured in the blaze, but the cause remains under investigation.

Crews were called to the scene at 12833 W. Ventura Blvd. a just before 2 a.m. The fire was discovered in the event center kitchen, but it quickly spread, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Firefighters were able to put out the bulk of the flames within 90 minutes, but had difficulty with flames in hard to access areas between the first and second floors of the building, she said. Crews had to tear into the building's walls in order for crews to get to the fire traveling through the ventilation system.

A crew of 57 firefighters battled the fire and a knock down was declared at 4:06 a.m., Stewart said.

Arson investigators were called to the scene, she added. The the Sportsmen's complex was set to be razed to make way for a high-end retail center. The plan was approved in 2015, but has never been implemented.

In September 2018, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission approved new landscaping plans for the Lodge, which include ferns to be planted in shady areas under existing trees and native plants to be placed near ponds on the property and an outdoor dining deck will give way to a dock-like seating area next to the water.

The Sportsmen's Lodge pre-dates the film industry in Southern California and was later graced by Hollywood legends, including Katherine Hepburn, Clark Gable and John Wayne, according to the Sportsmen's website.

The original Sportsmen's Lodge opened in the 1880's and visitors could fish for trout in the man made ponds and any fish that was caught could be taken to the Lodge's restaurant and the chef would cook it, the website said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock