The backers of a proposed sports arena in downtown L.A.
offered the first public previews of the proposed
development, according to Larry Gordon in the L.A. TIMES. A
"Times Square West" was suggested, a 35-acre district
surrounding the arena with hotels, movie theaters,
restaurants and a sports museum. Separate slide and video
presentations were given by Albert C. Martin & Associates
and NBBJ Sports and Entertainment Architecture, considered
"front-runners" to be the master planner for the district
and the designer for the arena, respectively. While arena
developers, led by NHL Kings officials, also announced that
they have "halted" negotiations with Inglewood, which is
competing with L.A. for the proposed 20,000-seat facility,
they also "warned" that they are keeping Inglewood as a
"backup" in case the downtown arrangement "doesn't survive
future steps" such as environmental review, or becomes
"entangled" in a voter referendum (L.A. TIMES, 2/21).
NEW CLIP JOINT? Hollywood Park officials said they
will "start trying to woo" the Clippers in light of
yesterday's announcement (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/20).
