The L.A. DAILY NEWS' Kevin Modesti writes under the
header "Stadium Proponents Must Reach For the Stars," and
suggests that the New Coliseum group lobbying for an NFL
stadium at the L.A. Coliseum site, which includes NHL Kings
owners Ed Roski and Philip Anschutz, should take Michael
Ovitz's approach. Ovitz, who is trying to build a stadium
in Carson, CA, has suggested to the NFL that L.A. expansion
team owners could include actors Tom Cruise and Kevin
Costner. Modesti: "The New Coliseum people happen to find
it absurd, the thought that even a multi-millionaire actor
could play much of a financial role in a project with a
price tag in the high nine figures." New Coliseum Exec VP
John Semcken: "That's probably one of the things that make
the NFL angry at us. We're just boring old real estate guys
... We've got to get a few more of those (celebrities) to
get on board." Jets WR and former USC star Keyshawn Johnson
recently signed on as a spokesperson for the New Coliseum
and Exposition Park revitalization, which Modesti calls "a
step in the right direction." Modesti: "Needed: a real,
high-magnitude star with some mad money and a love for
football" (Kevin Modesti, L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/15).
CREATING SOME MAGIC? Magic Johnson Theatres will build
a second multiplex cinema in the L.A. area. The $20M, 14-
screen complex will be in Carson, CA -- the area in which
Magic Johnson "has supported efforts" to build an NFL
stadium (Jesus Sanchez, L.A. TIMES, 7/14).
RENOVATING ROSE: The "latest phase" of the Rose Bowl's
$22.5M renovation is the replacement of bleachers with
individual flip-up seats "from goal line to goal line." The
end zone seats will remain as bleachers. The year-long
project has reduced capacity from 100,089 to "approximately"
93,500, and has forced UCLA to "revamp their seating plan"
(Jon Wilner, L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/15).
