Those of us who live in la-la land and read what passes for the local newspaper, known as the Los Angeles Times, may recall that a while ago, in 2011, to be exact, the city’s movers and shakers were all agog over the imminent construction of a new downtown NFL football stadium that was going to transform downtown LA into an urban heaven on earth, and also transform the money-losing downtown LA Convention Center into a new, new facility that would make money hand over fist. Well, folks, it didn’t happen. That much is non-news. But there is something that is news — of sorts.
Nothing is being said in the press and broadcast media about this non-event; about what happened to cause those plans to vanish from sight. And vanish they did; nobody is talking in public about them. Remember, in order to facilitate that proposed development, for which the LA Times was cheering, California environmental laws were changed to make environmental approval for special, large projects like football stadiums blessed by the Governor, to zip through the courts like a greased pig. But it didn’t happen. No downtown stadium was actually proposed, and neither were any actual plans for the expansion of the Convention Center made public. And, of course, no NFL team has been enticed to come to Los Angeles. Nothing. Nada. Zip.
Last time we looked, the city was losing some $30 mil annually on the present convention center and continues to lose money on it, though at this time we are not sure how big that loss is.
Your tax money at work.
PS – if you want a bit of background on the hoopla about that new, new, new but nonexistent NFL stadium, go to: https://gideonstrumpet.info/?p=1849
Follow up. No sooner did the ink dry on the printout of the above post that the L.A. Times has brought us the following headline that requires neither comment nor elaboration: AEG Asks For 6-Month Extension to Woo NFL Team to Los Angeles, Sep. 29, 2014.
We can’t wait. Rots of ruck, fellows.