Moving Lakers downtown has both economic and social costs

Tuesday, November 19, 1996

NBA:

L.A.’s lust for a new arena will increase ticket prices, hurt
Inglewood

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and
the basketball arenas are always newer and nicer in the other
cities.

While state-of-the-art buildings like the America West Arena in
Phoenix and the Rose Garden in Portland are sprouting up like weeds
in a neglected garden, 12 million Angelenos have two arenas from
another age as homes for their NBA teams. Yes, there is the Pond in
Anaheim, but that’s some 40 miles away from downtown L.A. Within
the geographical boundaries of this great city, the Sports Arena
and the Great Western Forum are the only two major venues.

Will Los Angeles, the entertainment metropolis, continue to lag
behind not-so-colorful cities like Phoenix and Portland in the
world of sports that has become, in essence, entertainment?

"Over our dead bodies!" says the L.A. City Council.

A few months ago, the members of the council sat around a large
table and orchestrated a deal to move the Lakers to a
brand-spanking new arena downtown by the year 1999. This building
is supposed to be a saving grace for restoring L.A.’s image as the
most vibrant sports city in America.

The advocates of the deal even argue for a social benefit for
the city that has come to epitomize geographical polarity. They say
the new arena will finally give suburban Angelenos living in the
Torrances and the Tarzanas a reason to come downtown.

But, as residents of this city who will pay for this new arena
by one means or another, we must carefully consider the following
questions. What are the motives of Laker owner Jerry Buss for
wanting to move his team to a new arena? More importantly, what are
the possible socioeconomic ramifications for a city that will spend
upwards of $100 million for this arena? We cannot jump into the
venture with a blindfold simply because we covet the fancy arenas
that the other cities have.

First of all, as is the case with all capitalists, Buss’ goal is
to reap as much profit as possible. Generally speaking, NBA team
owners don’t move their teams because the atmosphere in old arenas
aren’t conducive to winning.

Take the Boston Garden, for example. It would be hard to imagine
Celtics wanting to move away from the uneven parquet floors, the
sweltering heat that results from the absence of internal air
conditioning and other home court advantages that the Garden
offered to Larry Bird and company.

Chances are, they wanted to move to the Fleet Center because he
can make more money there. More seats, more concession stands and
more souvenir shops. They all equate to mo’ money, as Damon Wayans
would eloquently say.

There is talk that a considerable portion of the building costs
would be funded privately. Using that information, the public
relations people would have you believe that the new building would
not touch the fans’ wallets. But make no mistake about it. Fans
will pay for the arena through higher ticket prices. If you think
that paying $21 for nosebleed seats at the Forum this season is
outrageous, that will probably be a bargain come 1999.

There is yet another, more important issue we must evaluate.
That is regarding the present home of the Lakers. What will happen
to the Inglewood area, where impoverished residents have been
reaping the modest economic benefits from having the Lakers there?
The people living on Manchester haven’t been opening up their
driveways as parking lots for $10 because they want to exercise
hospitality. Most likely, they are working-class people living in
an impoverished neighborhood trying to supplement their meager
wages as best they can. When the Lakers move, so will the extra
cash the residents might have used to buy their kids one of those
Nike sneakers Eddie Jones wears.

As much as Buss and the city council argues for a necessity of
it, a new arena in L.A. is not needed. What is wrong with the Forum
and the Sports Arena? There aren’t any cracks on the walls or
plumbing problems in the bathrooms. Fans don’t go to games to
marvel in the post-modern architecture of the new arenas, they go
to watch players play. Just concentrate on having a winning team
and keeping the ticket prices down ­ that’s my humble advice
for Dr. Buss. That will keep the fans filling up all 17,505 seats
at the Forum 10, even 20 years down the line. I guarantee it.

Hye Kwon is a Daily Bruin columnist.