Image Credit: Rain Rannu (CC BY 2.0)
Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams, are currently in discussions about bringing the Los Angeles Clippers to Inglewood, California. Inglewood is the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers who played at The Forum (also called the Great Western Forum) from 1967 to 1999. The move would be an effort for the two organizations to capitalize on the mixed-use development that Stan Kroenke (a real estate mogul) is currently building.
Kroenke and the Los Angeles Rams are also currently building a $2.6 billion stadium in Inglewood that they will share with the Los Angeles Chargers. The adjacent neighborhood will feature new housing, bars, restaurants, retail shops, a 6,000 seat arena and a hotel. The development will be a similar concept to L.A. Live but on a smaller scale. (L.A. Live is the neighborhood that surrounds the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles). Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has expressed an interest in having the team play in it's own arena in the past since the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings (NHL) get first dibs on scheduling their home games. The Clippers having their own venue will also create more of an identity and stronger level of intimacy with the Clippers fan base.
However, the Los Angeles Clippers lease with the Staples Center does not expire until 2024 and it would have to be broken in order for the Clippers to begin construction on their new home arena. However, let's not kid ourselves. New stadiums and arenas are being constructed all over the United States because of the new revenue streams they will generate via club and luxury seating, sponsorship agreements and naming rights deals. To think that Ballmer is pursuing a home arena for the Clippers solely for other reasons is being naive. An even larger question that must be addressed; where will the money to build the new arena come from? Because if there's one thing that Californians don't need more of, it's taxes.
If you would like to check out the current renderings that have been put together for the new football stadium in Inglewood, check out the Youtube video below. The aerial views will give you a general idea as to what the stadium site and surrounding area will look like.
Reference:
Related Articles
- Los Angeles Clippers - Staples Center Seating Reviews
- Inglewood to Vote on Land for New Los Angeles Clippers Arena
- Hotels Near The Staples Center
- Breakdown Of The Staples Center Seating Chart
- Los Angeles Clippers Hotels on the Road
- Sports Bars near the Staples Center
- Los Angeles Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer Purchases The Forum In Inglewood
