The $400M Staples Center celebrated its official
opening this weekend with an open house on Saturday and a
concert by Bruce Springsteen last night. On stage,
Springsteen said, "When I pulled up, I thought I was playing
at a Staples store. It's a big building, but it's important
when you have a big building, people have to get in. And
the water pressure ... I have a similar problem at home."
On the luxury boxes, Springsteen said there are "too many of
'em and they're down too low. ... You have to come out of
these rooms. That's why I don't play private parties
anymore" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/18). Arena officials
estimated a crowd of 65,000 during Saturday's opening day
ceremonies. Some fans who waited in line for a tour of the
arena "were shocked to learn that their tour would consist
of a walk through the ticket turnstiles and into the main
arena chamber, then back outside" (L.A. TIMES, 10/17).
Visitors said on Saturday that they "loved the sloping roofs
and tilted walls" of the arena, but some "fans weren't so
happy about having to park several blocks away in downtown,
pay higher prices for season tickets and negotiate traffic
in the area." Mayor Richard Riordan: "Today we're sending a
loud and clear message to the rest of the world. Los
Angeles is still No. 1" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/17). On "ET,"
Mary Hart profiled the arena and reported that Dyan Cannon
"will have a floor seat alongside Jack Nicholson, Jim Carey
and Denzel Washington" ("Entertainment Tonight," 10/15).
GOING TO LEAVE THIS BROKEDOWN PALACE: In L.A., David
Wharton looked ahead and wondered when the new Staples
Center "will become obsolete." Association of Luxury Suite
Directors Exec Dir Bill Dorsey: "I think 20 years is a very
good shelf life now. Thirty or 40 years? Those days are
gone." NHL Kings and arena co-Owner Ed Roski: "Things are
changing so fast these days. Eventually, people will be
saying 'What a dog this is!' and 'How can we pull this thing
down?'" Wharton wrote that the arena owners "paid dearly
for a design of graceful curves and slopes," and there is
"nothing boxy about the place" (L.A. TIMES, 10/17).
DISPUTE AT FORUM? Staples Center President Tim Leiweke,
on the L.A. Arena Group also acquiring the Great Western
Forum: "We wanted a backup venue." He said the goal is to
fill 100 nights at the Forum and at least "break even with
the property." Great Western Bank, now known as Washington
Mutual, has naming rights at the Forum and the company "was
a little miffed" that the Lakers and Kings were leaving the
facility. Leiweke: "There is an issue there, and we're
happy to stay out of it." The issue is in the courts now
and "one outcome" could return the Inglewood arena's name
back to its original, the Forum, "with no corporate naming-
rights partner" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/15).
